STEM Signing Day Mentor Program
Join and learn from a community of STEM professionals, student mentors, and STEM Signing Day Honorees.
Mentor ApplicationHonoree Mentee SurveyWhile potential is equally available, opportunities are not always equitably distributed. Because we recognize this, we are redistributing social capital by amplifying justice-oriented STEM practices. STEM Signing Day Mentors provides a break from structural norms and individualized thinking.
We encourage and engage students to draw away from racial, gender, and other embedded social and cultural biases, enabling youth to champion their wealth of diversity and thoughtful, demonstrable futuristic ideas. The holistic approach we take allows us to faithfully disrupt invisible structures while creating a communal culture to address the importance of youth identity by adopting values for a sustainable program via guidance, motivation, emotional support, and role modeling. We are closing the mentoring gap and holding the door of opportunity open.
This program provides STEM Signing Day recipients and alum with support on their academic and career pursuits. STEM Signing Day Mentors will be a viable and incredible resource.
STEM Signing Day Mentors are STEM professionals, Boeing employees, Motorola Solutions Foundation employees, students who are currently pursuing STEM in undergrad, graduate, or PhD, and STEM Signing Day alum.
- Mentors are paired with STEM Signing Day Honorees, young adults from Chicago, IL and Gary, IN who will be pursuing a STEM degree in post-secondary education.
- Mentors work with mentees to identify goals, discuss education plans, give career advice, develop technical and soft skills to succeed in the STEM fields.
- Support mentees by providing a space for reflection, discussion, and idea sharing.
- The mentoring length is one year, but depending on how the mentoring relationship progresses it may be shorter or extend beyond one year.
- Beyond scheduled meetings, mentors are expected to check in with their mentee regularly through email at least once a month.
- Meetings are initiated by the mentee. It’s also the mentee’s responsibility to prepare discussion topics for meetings.
- Meetings and methods of communication are agreed on between the mentor and mentee.
Mentee Role
- Identify the areas and skills you want to work on with your mentor.
- Be proactive in scheduling meetings and contacting your mentor.
- Be open to talking about yourself, your goals, and leaning new things.
- A mentor can help you decide on classes, find career paths, offer their experience and provide a new perspective. Discuss with your mentor how they can best help you achieve your goals.
- The mentoring length is one year, but depending on how the mentoring relationship progresses it may be shorter or extend beyond one year.
- Meetings are initiated by the mentee. It’s also the mentee’s responsibility to prepare discussion topics for meetings.
- Meetings and methods of communication are agreed on between the mentor and mentee.
Complete the Mentor Application
Complete Background Check and Mentor Code of Conduct
Mentor/mentee matching
- Cohort 1 – Mentors are matched with STEM Signing Day recipients from 2018, 2019, or 2020. Mentees are current college students.
- Cohort 2 – Mentors are matched with STEM Signing Day recipients from this upcoming 2021 event. Mentees are prospective college students.
If an immediate match is not available, the mentor’s information will be kept for potential future matches.
Complete the Mentee Survey describing the areas you want to work on with your mentor and the qualities of your ideal mentor.
Complete the Mentee Code of Conduct
Mentor/mentee matching
- Cohort 1 – Mentors are matched with STEM Signing Day recipients from 2018, 2019, or 2020. Mentees are current college students.
- Cohort 2 – Mentors are matched with STEM Signing Day recipients from this upcoming 2021 event. Mentees are prospective college students.
If an immediate match is not available, the mentee’s information will be kept for potential future matches.
Information Sessions
Next Session TBA
The STEM Signing Day Mentorship Program is a great opportunity for professionals and students to form connections that can lead to tremendous personal growth for both the mentor and mentee.
In these sessions we discuss the timeline of the program, ways that mentors can be a resource to mentees, and more information about how to get involved.
