Engage in Mentoring

I  Welcome to the NSPRA Mentor Match Program!

The mission of the National School Public Relations Association is to be the leader in developing professionals to communicate strategically, build trust and foster positive relationships in support of their school communities.

NSPRA's Mentor Match program reflects that mission and our commitment to your professional development. Through Mentor Match, experienced school PR professionals provide advice and support to those newly joining the field or seeking to advance their careers, perhaps through earning Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). This program is available exclusively to members and at no cost.

Mentor Match is a voluntary, self-driven program: First, participants sign up to be either a mentor or a mentee – or both. After enrolling, mentees can search a directory of mentors to request a match. Enrolled mentors can then respond to the request. Read more about the mentee and mentor roles below and how to get started!


I Overview of Mentee and Mentor Roles

NSPRA members can participate in the Mentor Match program as either a mentor or mentee – or both! Mentors will serve to provide invaluable guidance, perspectives and experiences to program mentees, NSPRA members who are committed to further developing their professional careers. 


Mentees may have any level of experience in the field of public relations. To participate, they must:

• Fill out their NSPRA Connect Community Profile with as much detail as possible to aid in finding the best match.
• Apply to join the Mentor Match program (see the "Get Started" section below).
• Initiate the mentee-mentor relationship by searching the Mentor Directory, finding a desired mentor and inviting that person to make a match.
• Once a match is made, the mentee is responsible for: 
  • Reaching out to their mentor to schedule an initial planning meeting/call.
  • Identifying at least three learning goals to work toward as part of the mentoring relationship to discuss during the initial planning meeting/call.
  • Making a six-month commitment to the mentoring relationship, which includes meeting virtually or in person at least once a month for one hour (approximate total time commitment = six hours over six months).
  • Following mentee best practices for a successful mentoring relationship.

Read more about the mentee role here.
mentor
Mentors must have at least five years of experience in the field of public relations. They must also:

• Fill out their NSPRA Connect Community Profile with as much detail as possible to aid in finding the best match.
• Apply to join the Mentor Match program (see the "Get Started" section below).
• Respond to match requests from enrolled mentees by either accepting or declining the invitation. Mentors may also search the Mentee Directory to proactively identify a potential mentee and request a match.
• Once a match is made, the mentor is responsible for:
  • Participating in an initial planning meeting/call with their mentee (mentees are responsible for reaching out to their mentor to schedule the meeting/call). 
  • Reviewing and discussing the mentee's identified learning goals during the initial meeting/call.
  • Making a six-month commitment to the mentoring relationship, which includes meeting virtually or in person at least once a month for one hour (approximate total time commitment = six hours over six months).
  • Following mentor best practices for a successful mentoring relationship.

Read more about the mentor role here.

I  Get Started

	Complete your NSPRA Connect Community Profile. Ensure your contact information is up to date and add a short bio and professional profile picture if you don’t already have one. You can then enter your education and job history information or import from LinkedIn.
	Once your Profile is complete, sign up to participate as either a mentor or mentee – or both! Mentors provide invaluable guidance, perspectives and experiences to program mentees, NSPRA members who are committed to further developing their professional careers.    •   Enroll as a mentor   •   Enroll as a mentee On the enrollment page, make selections that indicate your mentoring topics of interest, years of school PR experience, areas of expertise and more. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for an ideal mentor-mentee match to be made. View a quick "how-to" tutorial video on enrolling as a mentor. View a quick "how-to" tutorial video on enrolling as a mentee.
	After enrolling, mentees can use the Mentor Directory to filter search criteria and identify a potential mentor (mentors may also search the Mentee Directory to proactively identify a potential mentee).
	Click on the member's name you're interested in establishing a mentor/mentee connection with. The link will bring you to their Profile page. Browse around. If you think it's a desired match, look under their profile image for the Mentor Match badge and click to request a connection.