mentorship program
The Application period for 2009 is NOW OPEN.
- The Application Deadline is June 26th, 2009 (all materials must be received by this date).
- Selected participants in the Mentorship Program will be announced by July 13, 2009.
- The program will run from July thru October 2009.
If you are a member of WIFTA and would like to considered for this year’s Mentorship Program, please apply today!
click here to download the application
Re-established in 2008 WIFTA's mentorship program successfully provides members with access to a seasoned professional in their career field or area of interest. The Mentorship Program is a four (4) month commitment, during which time the mentor will meet with the member once a month for the first three (3) months; the fourth meeting will be an onsite visit at the mentor's place of work or on a project (if applicable). Any additional meetings can be decided upon between the mentor and mentee.
The goal of the mentorship program is to make a contact in the industry and to get advice and guidance from an established professional in the mentee’s field of interest. It offers mentees the opportunity to ask questions, gain insights, assess their goals and learn important information about their field. However, mentors are not expected to provide job or internship opportunities to the mentees, nor teach specific skills.
In order to get the most out of a mentorship, the impetus of the information sought needs to come from the mentee. The responsibility is on the mentee to prepare in advance by researching the field of interest and creating a list of specific questions to ask the mentor. The mentor will make her/himself available to provide feedback on specific topics but is not expected nor required to direct the research or career direction of the mentee. During the four month program, the mentor will also be accessible to the mentee via email (the mentee should use good judgment in not imposing too much on the mentor’s time in this manner).
A contract signed by mentee and mentor assures they will commit to meeting when scheduled, or notify the other party with 24 hours notice if canceling. If proprietary information is to be shared (scripts, musical compositions, treatments, etc), a non-disclosure agreement must be signed by both parties.
Do you want a Mentor?
Our goal for 2009 is to have between eight and ten mentorship pairings.
The program is competitive and is reserved for serious applicants only.
In order to apply to the Mentorship Program you must be a current WIFTA member in good standing. Candidates must submit a resume along with their completed application by the deadline. Applying does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
MENTORS NEEDED
At this time WIFTA is seeking skilled professionals who would be willing to act as a mentor to a less experienced member of WIFTA. Mentors are not required to be WIFTA members, nor do they have to be women. The Mentorship Program is a four-month program. Each mentor is asked to meet with their "protégé" at least once a month (for example, over lunch) and to allow the protégé to visit with the mentor at his or her place of work, or on a project, at least once, so that the protégé can experience the reality of the mentor's working day. Mentors are not expected to provide job or internship opportunities to the mentees, nor teach specific skills.
Please contact Shani Harris Peterson, VP of Professional Development at: vpprofdev@wifta.org if you are interested in becoming a mentor. Please put "Mentor Program" in the subject line and include your contact information, your Web site address, a brief description of what you do, and what you would offer a protégé.
PAST PARTICIPANTS
MENTORS
Angi Bones
Melaine Bugg
Shandra Bradford
Helen Urriola
Rhoda Griffis
Lesley Harris
Dianne Ashford
Donna Musil
| MENTEES
Ashley Askew
Renee L'Eplatteneir
Anika White
Tracy Crayton
Candice Joyce Turner
Kathryn Teates
Angela Gomes
Maria Ceballos-Wallis
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