WiD-KC Mentorship Program
A culture of mentoring enhances the vitality of all design professions. In recognition of this, WiD-KC developed two mentorship programs: One matches area college and high school students with WiD-KC members practicing in the student’s design profession of interest. The other matches WiD-KC members practicing in the same design profession.
Finding a Mentor
Students:
The student mentorship program will give students an opportunity to have a one-on-one relationship with a WiD-KC member practicing in the student’s design profession of interest. While the Women In Design mentorship program focuses on reaching out to women and girls, it is open to any student or individual interested in a career in architecture, interior design, graphic design or other design profession practiced by our members. All interested students can fill out an on-line Student Survey which will help with the matching process. Since mentors with the most experience will be in high demand and the numbers of students they can be matched with will be limited, licensed mentors will not always be available. Mentor and student relationships may be continuous throughout the student’s education, or may be discontinued at any time. More information can be found in the Student Orientation Guide.
WiD-KC Members:
The WiD-KC Mentorship Program will assist members in finding mentors from within WiD-KC. The goal of this mentoring network is to provide a platform for women within WiD-KC to seek guidance and information about their chosen profession as they progress through their career. All interested members will be asked to fill out an on-line Mentee Survey to help with the matching process. Since mentors with the most experience will be in high demand and the numbers of mentees they can be matched with will be limited, licensed mentors will not always be available. Mentor and mentee relationships may be continued indefinitely, or may be discontinued at any time. More information can be found in the Mentee Orientation Guide.
Becoming a Mentor
Being a mentor is an opportunity to help and guide new talent, share valuable life lessons and potentially develop a friendship with a current or future colleague. WiD-KC members with or without a license in their profession are eligible to be mentors to students or other WiD-KC members who are at earlier stages in their careers. All interested members will be asked to fill out an on-line Mentor Survey to help with the matching process and members from all design fields are encouraged to get involved.
Day of Shadowing Program
High School Students:
A Day of Shadowing is an annual event which gives area high school students an opportunity to visit area architecture, interior design, graphic design or other host firms. Students can sign up for the event by filling out a survey which will help WiD-KC match each student with an appropriate host firm. Surveys can be obtained through area high school counselors. The event is planned for September each year, and the deadline for signing up is in early September.
Your firm can participate:
Each July, Wid-KC will be seeking firms to host students on the Day of Shadowing. A sign-up form and list of suggested activities will be sent to area firms or you can download last year’s form here.
