MentorNet Matches Students with ACM Professionals
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To ACM Student Members:
If you think about any of the following questions:
- What's
it like to work in industry?
- What
is graduate school all about, and is it for me?
- How
do I manage a career and a life?
Then explore MentorNet!
ACM is now
partnering with MentorNet, an organization that promotes
e-mentoring relationships between students (protégés) and professionals
(mentors). Students gain invaluable career advice, encouragement and support,
while professionals lend their expertise by helping to educate and inspire
young professionals. Protégés are matched in one-on-one email relationships
with mentors—from industry, academia, and government—who have relevant
experience in the appropriate technology, engineering, and scientific fields.
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Mentors, Protégés help each other:
- "My mentor, Brian Kernighan, helped me navigate graduate school. Having learned the value of mentoring, I became a mentor myself...." --Mary Fernandez, Principal Technical Staff Member, ATT Labs - Research
Read more...
- "I am fortunate to have a mentor who spends his time in not only answering my questions, but also in directing my career path...." --Emeka (Chukwuemeka Nwankwo), student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria
Read more...
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Who can be mentored?
ACM
Members can participate in this program as protégés if they are Undergraduates, Graduates, Post-Doctoral students, or Untenured Faculty.
Who can mentor?
ACM Professional
Members
How does the E-Mentoring Program Work?
- To
participate, both mentors and protégés must first join the MentorNet Community. Community members
register by providing their name, a valid email address, and a username and
password. To join,
please go to the MentorNet Community Registration form.
- After signing in, you’ll be taken to the registration screen and asked if you want to Find a Mentor or Be a Mentor. Click on the appropriate button.
- The official e-mentoring relationship lasts approximately 8 months.
For Protégés:
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Once you've registered, you will be taken to the Protégé Eligibility Verification screen and you will be asked if you are a student or untenured faculty member. If you are a student, you will be asked what year of school you are in.
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You will then be asked what college/university you attend (or are affiliated with). MentorNet is currently partnering with a few colleges and universities, but as long as you are a current ACM Member, you may participate. Next you are shown a listing of professional societies affiliated with MentorNet; ACM is one of the newest partners.
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You will be asked to complete your Protégé Profile that asks for basic information and interest in discussing common mentoring topics, as well as identifies a protégé’s preferences for a mentor.
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Immediately after creating a profile, a protégé is presented with mentor profiles (minus the mentor’s name and email) of up to 5 potential matches. Protégés can choose a match, opt to let MentorNet try to match them automatically, or come back anytime within 14 days to check for new potential matches.
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MentorNet will check for mentor availability. If no mentors are available immediately, protégés can revise their profile to try and increase their chances of a match. However, if a protégé opts immediately to let MentorNet try to make the match, the individual will not have the option to choose a mentor.
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Mentors must have a degree or professional background in engineering, science, technology or math. A mentor must have regular access to email, and provide a reference who can verify the applicant’s identity. MentorNet estimates that maintaining a relationship with a protégé may take an average of 20 minutes per week, but this certainly varies depending on the match.
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After following steps 1, 2, and 3 above, click on Be a Mentor. You will be asked to complete a Mentor Profile that asks for information on your educational and professional background, preferences for a protégé and comfort in discussing common mentoring topics.
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Protégés may choose their own mentor or let MentorNet automatically match them. The match process is two-way, taking into account both the protégé’s and the mentor’s preferences. After a protégé completes their profile, they are immediately presented with the mentor profiles of up to 5 potential matches. Protégés may choose from that list, or allow MentorNet to automatically match them with a mentor.
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Once a mentor has been tentatively matched, they receive an email notice that gives them 10 days to return to the MentorNet site to confirm the mentor’s availability.
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Once the mentor’s availability is confirmed, the e-mentoring relationship begins immediately. Mentors and protégés can view each others’ profiles through the MentorNet website to learn about their partner. Mentors and protégés begin receiving regular discussion suggestions from MentorNet to help start and build the relationship.
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Other MentorNet Services for ACM Members:
- MentorNet E-Forum: a Web-based discussion group designed to be a supportive and engaging place for MentorNet Community members to discuss ideas and make connections. The E-Forum can provide a group mentoring experience that complements the One-on-One E-Mentoring Program.
- MentorNet Resume Database: provides an additional job/internship search resource for students, allowing them to post their resume for MentorNet’s sponsors to view.
