Dear fellow ATLiens, AIGA Atlanta is proud to announce our first ever Mentorship Program, designed to pair emerging designers with seasoned mentors from our own creative community, ITP, OTP, & Beyond! We are kicking off the program with a 3-month round, where mentees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share their portfolios, swap war stories and explain their career goals. Proven design professionals will have the opportunity to help a young designer at a very crucial moment in their career while also gaining a new perspective. We run on the belief that continued professional development is a necessary component of being a successful designer. 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. Application open until May 1, 2015. Have any questions? email us at riseup@aiga-atl.org.

Mentees
The mentee position is open to AIGA members at the contributing level and above. We prefer emerging designers who have graduated with a degree in a design-related field or have relevant professional design experience. If you have questions about mentee eligibility, please email us at riseup@aiga-atl.org with “Mentee Inquiry” in the subject line. One application per person, per program round until you are accepted or no longer meet the requirements. Please keep in mind that, if interested, the mentees of this first round can give back by participating as the mentors to University level students in the second round.

Click here for the Mentee Application. Please email your completed application to riseup@aiga-atl.org.

Mentors
The mentor position is open to 15 AIGA members at the contributing level and above who are seasoned design professionals with 10+ years experience in a design-related field. Such fields are highlighted in the mentor application.

Click here for the Mentor Application. Please email your completed application to riseup@aiga-atl.org.

The Specifics:
• Mentors and mentees agree to a 3-month commitment from May-August.
• During this 3-month period, the minimum requirements are to meet one-on-one, once a month and e-mail once a week. This can be as flexible as both sides are comfortable with.
• Life happens, and sometimes obligations need to be rearranged. Please give your partner the respect of at least 24 hours cancellation notice prior to your scheduled meeting.
• This first round of Rise Up will include 15 pairs and we will increase this number as we continue the program.
• This is not considered an internship, nor a guarantee of employment.
• The mentees of this first round will give back by participating as the mentors to University level students in the second round.
• AIGA Mentorship Committee will hand select the pairs based on the application, geographic proximity, professional interests and outside interests.
• The program is only open to AIGA members at the contributing level and above.
• There will be a launch party on May 16th where mentees and mentors will meet “officially” for the first time with mandatory attendance.
• There will be a survey at the end of the 3-month process in order to optimize the experience.
• There will be a closing party at the end of the 3-month process with mandatory attendance.
• If using social media to detail this experience, use hashtag #AIGARiseup.
• Focus is on enhancing skills necessary to be a successful professional designer.
• Program is entirely experiential and customized by participant according to their areas of need.
• After acceptance into the program you will receive a Welcome Packet with more instructions.

Fees
There is an application fee of $25 for all mentees who are accepted into the program. Participation is free for mentors, but the application process is still a requirement.

Beyond the Partnering
There will be a launch party on Saturday, May 16th. More details to be announced after acceptance into program. The official end date is exactly 3 months after the Launch Party, Sunday, August 16th. There will also be a closing party on the following Saturday August 22. Please go ahead and mark your calendars, attendance is mandatory to both of these events!

We are grateful for the sponsorship from Vitamin T as well as the help of the Mentorship Committee, Son&Sons, and Edgar Allen studio for making this program a reality.