MCDA Mentor Program Seeking New Leaders

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By Jodi Holden, MCDA Board Member
This article was originally published in April 2019. Request for new leaders is now closed. 

As you know, MCDA supports the professional development of its members and excellence in our field through our active mentoring program.

Our mentor program provides participants a mutually beneficial learning and development relationship. For mentees, mentoring is an ideal opportunity to learn more about themselves and the various occupational fields within career development. For mentors, it’s a great way to build the profession and feel the satisfaction of helping others succeed.

Ask a successful person what the most influential force in his or her life has been, and you’ll probably hear the story of a person who took an interest in their development and provided coaching, teaching, counseling, and support.

Relationships like these are too often a matter of pure chance — some people find mentors, while others don’t. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By being a mentor program co-chair you can ensure that get the mentoring they need — and deserve.

Lisa Ash and Naomi Hagen have done an outstanding job as the mentor program co-chair program coordinators for the past two years. They are now ready to turn the program over to two new co-chairs starting this May.

Therefore, we are seeking two new co-chair program coordinators for the MCDA mentoring program.

Benefits of being a Co-Chair

  • As a co-chair you develop relationships by getting to know and work with other MCDA members and make some great connections with people you may not have met had you not been involved in the mentoring program. You broaden your own professional networks.
  • You have the opportunity to utilize and increase your current program managing skills and develop new skills.
  • You will enjoy the satisfaction of “giving back” and making a difference in people’s lives.

How Can You Contribute?
As a mentoring program co-chair you are instrumental matching mentee-mentor pairs in organizing two meetings and promoting the program to potential participants.

You also serve as the program’s ambassador (along with MCDA Board members) to MCDA members. Having passion, excellent communication, and organizational skills are a must.

Duties and Timeline:

  • Write and coordinate emails that are sent to MCDA membership seeking mentors/mentees. Reach out to local universities seeking mentee candidates.
  • Ensure website is updated with current program information. Update mentoring application (July).
  • Compile mentoring requests. Match pairs. (August).
  • Organize and facilitate kick-off meeting (Aug-Sept)
  • Check in with mentor-mentee pairs during program (Nov-Dec).
  • Monitor MCDA mentor email box (ongoing, very few emails).
  • Update Board and resolve questions as needed (minimal time).
  • Announce and advertise the mentoring program at Spring Careers conference to solicit new participants (April).
  • Organize and facilitate the closing meeting (April-May)
  • Gather and compile mentoring program feedback (May 2020).

Time Commitment:

  • Approximately 10 hours total for July-August-September
    • Start to promote the program, pair the mentees/mentors.
    • Plan the kick-off event.
    • Review, update the program documents, communications and strategy. Documentation exists that future chairs can use and update as they wish.
  • Approximately 5 hours in May is required to plan a closing event and wrap up the current year’s program.
  • An hour or two of your time for a quick check-in mid-program in November-December.

Please contact me if you are interested in exploring this opportunity or have any questions. I would love to have a conversation with you about the program. Naomi and Lisa have volunteered to talk with anyone who may be interested in a co-chair position about their experience these past two years.