WSU SWE Industry Mentor Program 2018/2019

Guest Contributor: Ayumi Manawadu

Hello SWE PNW,

My name is Ayumi Manawadu and I am a graduate student in structural engineering, at Washington State University. I am the new coordinator for the Industry Mentor Program, conducted by WSU Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Each year, students are paired with industry mentors, who provide one-to-one guidance to make students prepared for their professional careers ahead. We anticipate having many new mentees join the program this semester and looking forward to expand.  

I wanted to reach out about joining the mentor program. Would you be willing to take part in the WSU SWE Mentor program during the 2018/2019 school year? Your expertise and knowledge will benefit the current WSU engineering students, to build their careers. The mentors are expected to provide guidance in areas such as;

·         Resume Critique

·         Improving networking circle

·         Enhancing interviewing skills

·         Providing general career advice

·         Building business etiquette skills

The mentor program is aimed to be primarily an email or phone relationship (not a huge time commitment), however meeting during breaks is always encouraged.

Attached is the mentor information sheet for the SWE mentor program 2018/2019. It has more details regarding the expectations and time commitment for the program. If you decide to be a part of this enriching program, please fill out the information sheet and email me back at wsu.swementor@gmail.com at your earliest convenience.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Ayumi Manawadu

Mentor Coordinator | Society of Women Engineers

Graduate Student| Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Washington State University

wsu.swementor@gmail.com

Industry Mentor Coordinator: Ayumi Manawadu

I joined WSU to pursue doctoral studies in Structural Engineering, soon after my bachelor's degree form Sri Lanka and this is my first year serving as a SWE officer. However, for years, I have volunteered as a President's Guide Awardee, an AIESECer, a Rotaractor and a youth leader, mentoring and empowering underprivileged communities. I joined SWE last semester, after volunteering for the Kids Science and Engineering Day (KSED-2018). I love basketball and played for my country, sometime ago. Currently, I am also a member of the Toastmasters Club. 

President: Rachel Johnson

This is my third year serving as a SWE officer and I am passionate about promoting diversity within STEM. I am from Santa Clara, CA and I'm majoring in mechanical engineering. I enjoy paddle boarding, hiking and baking during my free time.






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This guest article is part of SWE PNW's Collegiate Section Spotlight series, where we ask the local collegiate sections to showcase their section so we can share information up at the professional section level.

Embrace the Power of Mentoring

SWE Pacific Northwest professional section will be partnering with the SWE student sections at the University of Washington, Seattle University, and Everett CC in a structured mentoring program, and we want you to be a part of the program.  It is a short time commitment, but a very valuable experience for the students.  If you are interested in being a mentor, please see below for details of the program!

Who:  
Experienced engineers of any discipline.  Each interested mentor will complete the short bio/experience questionnaire found here: http://goo.gl/forms/A4oRiim1Gx

Please submit questionnaire by December 4th. We will need enough mentors as there are students signed up to the program and it will be first come first serve for mentors.  Please help spread the word!

What:
A structured, on-going mentorship with an experienced engineer so engineering students can gain access to professionals’ experiences.  We would love to have SWE members as mentors, but it is not a criteria.

When:
The program will meet with everyone 4 times over the course of the academic year.  The first meeting will include a speaker to discuss mentoring.  It will also be a chance to network and meet your potential mentor/mentee (similar to speed mentoring).

We will pair mentor and mentees based on preference questionnaires submitted after the first meeting. The mentor and mentee will then schedule meetings on their own (over the phone, over a cup of coffee, etc.) to engage in a mentoring relationship.

The kick-off/pairing meeting will be Monday, December 7th at 6:00PM (location details to follow). You must attend in order to participate in the program.

Future Dates for Group Mentoring Meetings:
March 1st
May 18th
Note: All meetings include dinner. Please save the dates now.

Questions?
Contact kay.pre@gmail.com and tamairaross@yahoo.com

Announcing the FY16 Region J Mentorship Program!

The SWE Region J Mentoring Program is officially underway!

We invite SWE professional members to join as a mentor and/or as a mentee.  Resource packets and virtual sessions on various SWE related topics will be provided as part of the program to make this a successful and rewarding experience for mentor and mentee.

Call for Mentors:

• You might be a mentor if you:
• Are you a current SWE member
• Have a passion to inspire and develop others in SWE 
• Have a desire to grow your own leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills
• We are looking for SWE members in Region J of ALL experience levels to mentor more junior members in the region. 
• Whether you’re only a couple years in or have been a member of SWE for as long as you remember, there are other SWE members out there who can benefit from your experience and guidance! 
• Mentors can share experiences in professional development and personal choices as well as grow SWE connections.  
• Sign up to be a SWE Region J Mentor here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/766SYD5

Call for Mentees:

• You might be a mentee if you:
• Have been thinking about developing you SWE path
• Are looking for someone who can share experiences in professional development and personal choices  
• As part of this program you’ll be paired with a more senior SWE member who can help you build your career and also help you navigate the many benefits of SWE, including award applications, opportunities to be involved, and also networking.
• Sign up to be a SWE Region J Mentee here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7ZR3Y6Q

The FY16 Region J Mentoring Program will be taking sign-up through 11/30/15. For any questions please contact the Mentorship Chair, Pratima Rao (pratima.gn.rao@gmail.com).