We are thrilled to announce the 10th round of AIGA Atlanta’s Rise Up! Mentorship Program! Designed to pair emerging designers with seasoned mentors from our own creative community, we accept designers at all stages of their career located ITP, OTP, and beyond!
The Rise Up! Mentorship Program runs from January to May of each year. Applications for the 2024 Rise Up! Program will be open for submissions on Friday, December 1, 2023, and will remain open until Friday, December 22, 2023 at midnight.
Space is limited, and spots fill up quickly! Applications are viewed and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and once spots are filled, applications close. You may email us to be added to a waitlist if spots do become available.
AIGA Atlanta accepts a total of 40 mentee-mentor pairs to participate in an exclusive program that promotes community, design education, and personal & professional development.
Mentees and mentors fill out online applications (located below).
Selected individuals are paired based on concentration, geography, interests, and other parameters.
Mentee-mentor pairs are introduced at a mandatory Opening Party where they establish goals and expectations to tailor their experience.
Pairs are encouraged to connect at least once a month. However, most pairs choose to do so more frequently.
All pairs are invited to attend a mid-program event in March, where they will be able to mix and mingle with other participants in this year’s program.
Pairs meet again at our Closing Ceremony, where they are invited to share jointly produced projects and/or “aha” moments.
Mentees
Anyone can apply to be a mentee! Our program is open to students, recent graduates, and young professionals pursuing careers in design or design-related fields. Mentees do not have to be a member of AIGA to apply.
Mentors
The Mentor position is open to seasoned design professionals with at least 5 years of experience in design or a design-related field. AIGA membership is encouraged but not required to participate.
Fees
There is a fee of $30 for all mentees to apply for the program. Participation is free for mentors, but the application process is still a requirement.
Events
Opening Party: Join us on Saturday, January 13th, for our official Opening Party Event! During the event, we will officially kick off the 2024 program, hear from a few great speakers, and mentees and mentors will meet “officially” for the first time. It is mandatory for all program participants to attend this event.
Mid-Program Event: In March, there will be a Mid-Program event where mentees and mentors will be able to mix and mingle with the other participants in this year’s program.
Closing Ceremony: The Closing Ceremony is tentatively planned for Saturday, May 27th, with mandatory attendance. Join us as we celebrate the closing of another great year of the Mentorship Program!
Applications
Submit an application via the link below. Rise Up! 2024 Applications will be open for submissions on Friday, December 1, 2023, and will remain open until Friday, December 22, 2023, at midnight.
Guidelines and Responsibilities
See below for specific guidelines and responsibilities for the program. Please read prior to applying to the program.
Participants are required to meet one-on-one at least once a month (i.e. in person, video chat, phone call, etc), though more frequent interactions are encouraged.
Life happens, and sometimes obligations need to be rearranged. Please give your partner the respect of at least a 24-hour cancellation notice prior to your scheduled meeting.
Each Mentee/Mentor pair decides what they want to focus on for the duration of the program. The program’s goal is to provide a support network where mentees can learn the skills necessary to become successful professional designers. This is not considered an internship, nor a guarantee of employment. The program is entirely experiential and customized by participants according to their areas of need.
The AIGA Atlanta Mentorship Committee will hand-select pairs based on the application, geographic proximity, professional interests, and the outside interests of each applicant.
If using social media to detail this experience, please use hashtag #AIGARiseup
Please contact mentorship@atlanta.aiga.org with any additional questions you may have about the program. We will do our best to respond within 48 hours.
