Mentorship Program
The WACAC Mentorship Program
WACAC’s Mentorship Program was founded in relation to WACAC’s vision and goals. As part of WACAC’s strategic plan to engage, influence, and evolve, the goal of the mentorship program is to engage members in a new way, help them make an influence/find new areas of influence, and evolve as professionals. The WACAC Mentorship Program will run as a cohort of people for the opportunity to connect with more colleagues. Our mentor/mentee groups will include no more than 6 people total/group (*Matches are not guaranteed for the rare instances when we cannot find a solid grouping*). For questions regarding mentorship, please contact our Membership Chair.
Why Join? And Ideas for Mentors/Mentees to Discuss
- Meet new people and expand your network
- Get feedback on career paths, resumes, future goals, how to advance in your career, etc.
- Discuss how to utilize WACAC and other professional organizations in order to grow through the resources, volunteer, network, and/or to expand your resume
- Share helpful resources and tools
- Be open to sharing within your mutual areas of interest, both personal and professional
- Introduce each other to your connections in the field
- Meet monthly for 5-months (or more if you choose) via video platform; if location allows, consider meeting up for lunch or coffee or even visiting each other at your institutions
- An exclusive invite to a Slack channel of dedicated mentors/mentees where you can ask general questions and connect with an even broader scope of people who are committed to networking and supporting one another!
- Mentorship Zoom Mixers offered exclusively to mentorship participants, a few times a year, as another way to connect!
WACAC Mentorship Program Application
You must be a current WACAC member to participate in the mentorship program. If your membership is not current, make sure to join/renew here before submitting your mentorship application!
Mentor/Mentee Cohorts will be notified of their matches at the following timelines (*Matches are not guaranteed for the rare instances when we cannot find a solid grouping; no matches will be made outside of these timelines*):
- September 1 (must fill out the application by August 25th)
- February 1 (must fill out the application by January 25th)
How the Matching Works
Once an application is submitted, the Membership Committee will review the applications and match mentors and mentees in small groups. The Committee will notify the members of their match. It will then be up to the cohort to communicate with each other.
Groupings do not necessarily have to be within your field. For example, a match can be made between members in college admission and high school counseling. However, mentors must have prior experience in the field they wish to mentor in (ex: a current high school counselor can mentor an admissions counselor if they have comprehensive and recent admissions experience), so at least one mentor in the group will be aligned in expertise to at least one of the mentees.
Characteristics of a Great Mentor/Mentor Responsibilities
- Comprehensive experience in college admission, high school counseling, independent counseling and/or a community-based organization (Mentors must have at least 2 years of experience in the area they wish to mentor in)
- Willingness to take the time to help mentees in the profession for a minimum 5-month commitment and willingness to have some fun. The monthly meetings will likely take an hour of time on your calendar each month.
- Provide advice, feedback and support in a constructive and affirming manner
- Be patient, approachable, and encouraging with your mentees
- Be a trusted confidant who maintains privacy for things shared in mentorship meetings
- Follow through on meeting commitments, communication, and initiate contact when necessary. The time commitment here will vary, but anticipate an hour needed, each month, outside of meeting time for things like this
Characteristics of a Great Mentee
- A desire to learn and grow within the profession and meet someone new (Mentees will typically have less than 2 years of professional experience; mentors need at least 2 years to qualify. Mentees can have extensive experience in one area, but may want a mentor for a new professional area they are seeking or just starting in. We do not tell anyone they cannot be a mentee, but most who fit best for this category will have less than 2 professional years in the field).
- Willingness to take time to get involved and commit to your mentorship relationships for a minimum 5-month commitment and willingness to have some fun. The monthly meetings will likely take an hour of time on your calendar each month.
- Be open with your group about your skills and goals and how you want to grow
- Be empowered to bring up any topics you’d like to discuss with your group and don’t be afraid to give them feedback as well
- Be a trusted confidant who maintains privacy for things shared in mentorship meetings
- Be open to new ideas, feedback, and guidance from new sources