SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Mentorship is an aspect of life where one can rely on someone to listen, give advice, and share guidance. That factor is what director for emerging professionals at the American Institute of Architects CNY, Krisitn Szkolnik, fueled off of to create a program for women to connect with other women in design.
“I definitely have mentors in my office, but they are men,” said Szkolnik. “Not that I feel like I can’t go to them, but I feel like some people feel that they can’t.”
This Women in Design Mentor Program is a chance for women who are seeking mentors in their life, but also women who want to be a mentor and share guidance to other women. The first event is a speed networking opportunity for both mentors and mentees to meet everyone that signed up for the program and converse with one another. Share insights, hesitations, ask questions, and most importantly – someone to talk to outside of the office.
“Hugely important across every industry,” mentor Laura Thorne remarked on why she feels being a mentor matters. “And one of the reasons I decided to sign up for this program is because I feel that I didn’t have enough role models in my life and career.”
But this event doesn’t just end after everyone has met each other. The motive is to kickstart a relationship that will last. Being a mentor doesn’t mean just answering questions.
“Good mentors don’t necessarily have to have a lot of training or expertise, but they have to be willing to share and to listen. I need to talk to who I’m talking to and tell them what they need to hear not what they want to hear,” said Thorne.
This is an opportunity to bring women together from all areas of design that might feel shielded at work or in their work environment. The CNY chapter of the AIA plans on continuing similar events throughout the year, but they encourage the mentees and mentors to step outside of the scheduled meetings to further build a relationship with one another. “Hopefully this is somewhere where you can find someone with similar interests and can talk to them about things outside of the office,” said Szkolnik.
