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About the program

The Adult Mentor-Protégé Program is one of WIT’s longest-running programs. Linking protégés with experienced professionals, the Mentor Protégé program, held twice a year, takes participants through a structured program that helps them expand their exposure to and knowledge of what it takes to meet their goals.

Vision

The WIT Mentor-Protégé program is the place for the modern women in the technology industry who want dynamic personal growth and a platform for professional success. Career women aspire to be enriched through mentoring and networking in this unparalleled program in the Washington, DC area.

Mission

The WIT Mentor-Protégé Program's mission is to encourage dynamic personal and career growth for women in technology through a series of guided quality discussions in a community with other professional women.

The Mentor-Protégé Program, held twice yearly, is a five-part series across five months run by a team of volunteers. Each monthly session will provide practical tips, tools and techniques for addressing issues and opportunities facing women professionals today, such as Work/Life Integration, Strategic Networking, Political Savvy and Executive Presence, and Communication.

How The Program Works

The program is limited to 30 women (Protégés) and qualified candidates are accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis. Once a protégé is accepted into the program, a $100 program fee and current WIT membership is required to participate.

Protégés are matched with 4 different experienced mentors during each 5-month program (one per session). To ensure that protégés get the most out of the Mentoring Program, we request that protégés commit to all 5 sessions.

Our first session starts with a speaker and an orientation of the program, with the four sessions that follow to include networking a speaker, and a unique mentor match. Each monthly session will provide practical tips, tools and techniques for addressing issues and opportunities facing women professionals today, such as Work/Life Integration, Strategic Networking, Executive Presence, and Communication.

After each session, each Mentor and Protégé match individually connects and schedules an hour of one-on-one mentoring in a setting determined by the match.

Mentors

Become a WIT Mentor to…

· Guide other women on professional growth and career development
· Share professional and life experiences to help other women
· Develop new relationships
· Experience dynamic personal growth through interactions with others

Mentors are matched with protégés based on availability, compatibility and individual goals for each session. Program is free for mentors.

Mentor Requirements:

· Must be Director-level or above and have 15+ years in the workplace or significant experience owning or running a business
· Must have varied leadership experience
· Must possess the following skills: listening, advocacy, teaching, and sharing
· Must be able to expose others to opportunities and increase visibility
· Must complete an application and be accepted into the program
· New Mentors must attend orientation upon initial acceptance into the program
· Must commit to attending three sessions per year

While most of our Mentors continue to work with us, we encourage new Mentors to apply. In this way we have a large group of talent available for Mentor-Protégé matching.


Apply to be a Mentor

Protégés

Become a WIT Protégé to…

· Obtain guidance from experienced mentors on professional growth and development
· Develop new relationships
· Experience dynamic personal growth through interactions with four different mentors

Protégé Requirements:

· Must already have three to five years’ experience as a professional in the workplace (not for new college graduates)
· Must complete an application and be accepted into the program as described below
· Protégés - After being accepted into the program, a $100 program fee is required paid prior to the first session. Information about how to make the payment will be provided in your acceptance letter.
· The mentoring program fee is in addition to the annual WIT membership dues.

Only the first 30 Protégés that have been accepted into the program and then complete the program requirements (program fee and WIT membership) will be officially enrolled in the program. After we reach 30 protégés, any protégés that were accepted but did not finish the steps to be enrolled will be invited to apply again for the next program.


Apply to be a Protégé

Questions?


Email us at mentor-protege@womenintechnology.org


Committee Chair | Julie Spizuoco
Committee Vice Chairs | Beth Bierden
Committee Liaison | Leslie Bauer