N-Gen Mentorship Program

At the center of N-Gen’s vision is the goal to give those at the beginning of their careers an opportunity to connect to, learn from, and engage in a larger cross-border and cross-disciplinary community across the Sonoran Desert region.

The N-Gen Mentorship Program aims to directly support the next generation of leaders in our region. The program will create a space for direct connections in which a mentor (an established researcher, conservationist, artist, or other professional) can offer their support, vision, and experience to an early-career member (mentee) of the network.

N-Gen defines “early-career” as individuals in an undergraduate or graduate program, OR early career individuals with or without degrees independently pursuing research outside of academia.

The mentorship interaction will support professional and personal development, identifying strengths and developing capacities of the mentee and mentor, sharing different perspectives of mutual interest and provide guidance at the outset of an individual’s career.

The N-Gen mentorship program relies on the voluntary participation of the members.

Accepting Mentor enrollment now.

Application for Mentees will open later this spring 2025, once the roster of Mentors has been established.

Details

The N-Gen Mentorship Program promotes the connection between individuals, researchers or established artists within their disciplines with early career individuals who seek to strengthen and develop both professional and personal skills in their field.

The dynamic consists of one-on-one meetings, where mutual respect, collaboration and exchange of experiences are promoted.

Call for Mentors

We are seeking experienced individuals to guide the next generation of professionals and shape their career trajectories.

The program starts with a call for mentors at the beginning of 2025 (January) through the registration form above. Each mentor can choose to tutor between 1- 3 mentees, based on their availability and preferences. N-Gen will review and then confirm participation with interested mentors.

Mentor requirements:

Create or update your profile on the N-Gen website.
Complete the mentor registration form.
Submit a brief (no more than one page) letter of intent to participate, including your motivation for joining, relevant background and expectations for the program.
Deadline: February 16, 2025

What to expect:

A virtual training session will be held for mentors, explaining the purpose of the program, methods, strategies, and tools that can be implemented within the mentoring.
Opportunities to expand your professional network and develop leadership skills while making a meaningful contribution to your field.
Learn from mentees’ innovative ideas and approaches while sharing your own expertise.

Call for Mentees

Early-career individuals are invited to join as mentees to gain guidance and new perspectives on their careers. The call for applications for mentees will be made through a registration form available on this webpage. In the meantime, any interested individual can pre-register to ensure you receive a link to the application form.

Mentee requirements:

Create or update your profile on the N-Gen website.
Complete the mentee application form.
Submit a brief (no more that one page) of intent to participate, detailing your goals, interests, and what you hope to gain from the mentorship program.

What to expect:

Work closely with an experienced mentor who will help you navigate your career path and define your goals.
Strengthen both professional and personal abilities that align with your interests and aspirations.
Discover new career directions and approaches you may not have considered before.
Build connections with established professionals and other mentees within the N-Gen community.
Gain clarity and assurance in your professional decisions with the support of a dedicated mentor.

Program Details

N-Gen will review the mentee applications and interests. A first proposal of assignment to a mentor will be made, and revised as needed. A virtual meeting will be held to all invited mentees to present the program, expectations, and scope.

*Note: The number of accepted mentees will depend on the number of available mentors.

Duration: 2025.
Meetings: A minimum of three mentor-mentee meetings per semester, with flexibility for more as desired. Meetings can be customized to suit both participants’ preferences and schedules.
Feedback: Both mentors and mentees will complete a brief feedback form to help improve future iterations of the program.

Key Dates

Mentor registration: opens January 15 and ends on February 16
Mentee applications: opens Spring 2025.
Program launch: Mid to late Spring 2025

Disclaimer
All mentors and mentees participate in the N-Gen Mentorship Program on a voluntary basis. N-Gen assumes no responsibility for personal or professional outcomes resulting from participation, and all participants accept any and all risks involved in the program.