MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

​Define your professional goals, learn invaluable leadership skills, and advance your career through AAPA's signature Mentorship Program!

Enrollment form deadline is February 21st, 2025
We're excited to welcome our 2025 participants! Start your leadership journey and enroll now.

enroll now

Informational Session on February 12th, 2025
Sign up for our informational session to learn more.

register here

About the Mentorship Program

Mentorship
Through one-on-one mentorship with an AAPA volunteer mentor, learn the strategies to advance your career and elevate your potential.
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Skills
Learn key management, communication, branding, and soft skills for advancement through the management ranks.
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Leadership
Practice and apply the skills that you learn in the classroom, and take on leadership roles to show you are an exemplary and effective leader.
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The AAPA Mentorship Program develops mentees into more capable leaders. These mentees are better equipped to deliver more added-value, provide diverse perspectives, and bring greater talent to their companies and organizations.
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​The goal of the AAPA formal mentor matching program is to establish an effective and results-oriented one-on-one mentoring relationship between mentors and mentees.

Benefits

Workshops
Learn leadership and management skills to excel and advance your career! AAPA mentors will share their knowledge and experiences on various leadership and management topics in small group.

Mentoring
Mentees initiate the one-on-one partnership by contacting their mentor to schedule their first meeting, as well as ongoing meetings.

Networking & Community-Building
Participate in in-person social events, including Program Mixers and Headshot Day in order to establish connections in your cohort and build your professional profile.

Mentorship Program dates:

For enrollees, please mark the following dates, times, and modality for the 2025 program. All participants are encouraged to attend all workshops to receive the fullest benefits of the program. Speakers and topics will be announced closer to the training session dates. In-person events will be held in Rosemead, El Monte, and Los Angeles County, and virtual events will be held on Zoom.

• MENTOR/MENTEE ORIENTATION DAY| Saturday, March 22nd, 2025
• WORKSHOP#1 | Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
• WORKSHOP#2 | Saturday, July 12th, 2025
• WORKSHOP#3 | Saturday, September 13th, 2025

Mentorship Program FAQs

Who? What? When? Where?

• WHO: Open to professionals at junior, mid, and advanced career levels who seek career mobility and inclusion in management and leadership pipelines. 
  • Everyone is encouraged to enroll.
  • AAPA will not discriminate due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin and veteran or disability status.
• WHAT: A year-long program that provides diverse professionals with one-on-one mentoring and leadership training, and networking opportunities for career advancement.     
• WHEN: Program runs from March to December each year.
• WHERE: In-person events will be held in the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles areas.

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What are the enrollment deadlines and program fees?

• The enrollment period is open in January of each year.
• The current enrollment deadline is February 21st, 2025 and the program enrollment is $499. 

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What is the mentor-matching process?

1. Mentees review mentors' biographies on the AAPA website.
   
2. Mentees create a profile on the Members Portal to begin networking online with fellow mentees and mentors. Please create a profile by Orientation Day.
3. Mentees attend the Orientation Day to learn about the program and hear from Mentors' experiences.
   
4. After Orientation Day, Mentees submit their request form for their top three mentor preferences. If the mentee does not indicate any preferences, a mentor will be assigned automatically. Mentors will also review the mentees’ enrollment forms. Matching will occur on a first-come first-serve basis as request forms are submitted.
   
5. Mentees are expected to initiate the one-on-one partnership by contacting their mentor to schedule their first meeting.

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What are the expectations to meet with my mentor?

• Mentor and mentee pairs are encouraged to once every month to share goal progress and other coaching activities.
• The mentor and mentee pair will discuss and negotiate a schedule for meetings that are convenient to both parties, as well as jointly set goals for the year.
• At the end of the program year, the mentor and mentee pair should complete an assessment of the goals, action plan, accomplishments, relationship, and the mentor matching program.

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What are the roles and responsibilities of a mentee?

To graduate from the AAPA Mentorship Program (and receive your completion certificate), you will need to fulfill the following program requirements:

• One-On-One Mentoring: Regularly participate in one-on-one mentoring and connect with your mentor through scheduled check-in meetings (virtual or in-person, if possible).
• Workshop & Event Attendance: We highly encourage mentees to participate in all three of the workshops, as well as additional AAPA networking and educational events, as they provide valuable career advancement strategies and skills.
• Volunteer: Apply your leadership skills as an AAPA Volunteer. Help support minimum of two (2) AAPA events, which may include supporting Workshops #1-3, supporting development of AAPA's IdeaTalks events, join the Social Networking Committee, or volunteer at a end of year celebration such as AAPA's Annual Celebration or Programs Graduation.

"AAPA not only provided the knowledge to be successful in corporate America, but also provided a wide platform of mentors for us to ask questions in a safe zone. The AAPA staff and mentors have put in their heart, time and effort in making the learning experience as comprehensive as possible."

Kit San Lai
2017 AAPA Mentee