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Mentorship Program
Programs > Mentorship Program
About the Mentorship Program
Everything starts with an idea. The perfect story. The perfect résumé. The perfect source. The perfect pitch. That’s why NLGJA’s Mentorship Program is designed to create relationships that nurture careers through free-flowing ideas.
Connecting NLGJA members with similar professional interests and backgrounds, NLGJA’s Mentorship Program is an outlet for mentees and mentors to engage in a mutual exchange of information, experiences and networks. Even people on the highest rungs of the ladder need forums for talking shop, analyzing their careers and seeing new resources and opportunities.
Food for thought, brain candy, mind fuel—whatever you call it, the result of two heads thinking in the same direction is an essential part of everyone’s diet.
NLGJA’s Mentorship Program is open to all NLGJA members—from professionals of all career levels to college journalism students—and its objectives are to engage, inform and energize members through one-on-one professional relationships with colleagues.
What Makes it Work
Curiosity. Honesty. Integrity. Creativity. Confidentiality. Respect. Enthusiasm. Accountability. Punctuality. Consistency. Understanding. Sympathy. Investment. Reciprocity. Objectivity. Professionalism. Energy. Ingenuity. Courage. Clarity. Cohesion. Patience. Humor.
Click here for more tips on making a mentorship relationship work.
Mentorship Program Applications
The Application Process
- Make the commitment to be a mentor or mentee. In either role, you’ll learn more about yourself.
- Download the appropriate application and return it to NLGJA Deputy Executive Director Tom Avila at tavila@nlgja.org or:
Mentorship Program
NLGJA
1420 K Street, NW
Suite 910
Washington, DC 20005
- Hang tight. NLGJA will contact you via e-mail upon receipt of your application and begin searching for the perfect match based on your professional background and career goals. While NLGJA will strive to connect you with someone in your geographic region, this is not always possible. In these cases, mentors and mentees are encouraged to connect via phone and e-mail. Moreover, all mentors and mentees are encouraged to meet at the annual National Convention.
- Once a match is found, NLGJA will introduce mentors and mentees over e-mail and subscribe both to the Mentorship Program Listserv. This listserv will be used to distribute tips, ideas and resources.
One Final Thought
Once a match is made, how the relationship works is completely up to the mentors and mentees. While NLGJA does provide activity ideas and tips for both mentors and mentees, there isn’t a checklist for building a successful mentorship relationship. Beyond realizing that commitment, respect, and open communication are the main ingredients, whatever works for both parties is just fine.
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