Mentorship Program: Design Loop
Are you a young designer aimlessly roaming the world of design? How about an established designer looking to gain new perspective? Either way, you’ve stopped here because AIGA Houston offers the young and the restless a chance to change your course. AIGA Houston’s Design Loop is where young designers seeking mentorship and seasoned vets looking for a way to give back to the design community can lend each other a helping hand.
HOW IT WORKS
Design Loop partners 10 lucky emerging designers with 10 proven design professionals over a four-month period. It’s good, old-fashioned career growth, streamlined. The goal is for participants to end up with more than a line-item on a resume and a LinkedIn connection—but a meaningful, insightful partnership. Mentees may even end up with a letter of recommendation out of it.
EXPECTATIONS
Everyone should walk away with useful ideas and tools. AIGA Houston will provide guidelines as a starting point, but each mentor/mentee is responsible for setting and achieving goals. These goals should not only be realistic and clear, but tailor-made to fit specific needs, interests, and schedules. We ask that you meet at least once per month, but whether these meetings take the form of a phone call, chats over coffee, or one-on-one office time is entirely up to you.
BEYOND THE PARTNERING
There’s more! In addition to the one-on-one time with your mentor/mentee, AIGA Houston will host four exclusive events for you to connect with other participants in the program. Currently the 2019 event dates are scheduled for May 21st, June 18th, July 16th, and August 20th, which is one event per month. They include studio tours, a panel discussion, and more! Mentors will have the opportunity to meet up prior to the first event and learn how to maximize the program. These events are mandatory and will encourage dialogue and design growth through group participation at no additional cost.
QUALIFICATIONS/FEES
All applicants must be a current AIGA Houston member. If you aren’t a current member, sign up here! If you’re already a member, you’re one step closer. There is a one-time $20 program fee for mentees only once you’ve been accepted into the program.
Mentees
To be a mentee, you must be an emerging designer who is within two years of graduation—pre- or post—specializing in one of these fields: graphic design, communications, digital/interactive media, or related program. Undergrads must have at least completed an AA degree at a community college or be currently enrolled in their junior or senior year of college. Post-grads must have a degree in one of the fields listed, and have graduated no more than two years prior to June 2019. Employment in your field after graduation, even if you are not employed currently, is a plus. Recent Spring 2019 graduates who apply by the deadline are still considered students. One application per person, per program year until you are accepted or no longer meet the requirements. All applicants must be AIGA members.
Mentors
To be a mentor, you must be either currently employed—with a minimum of five years experience—or retired from the field of graphic design, communications, visual arts, digital/interactive media or related areas. To maximize resources, we may call on you for additional participation in the program—for example, lead group discussions, present past work, or similar. One application per person, per program year until you are accepted. Previous acceptance into the program does not guarantee you a future spot. All applicants must be AIGA members.
QUESTIONS
Please send questions to: mentorship@houston.aiga.org
STILL NOT SURE?
Watch these testimonials: here!
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Deadline for 2019 applications will be on Friday, April 26th, 2019.
2019 application here.
SaveSaveSaveSave
