Cultural Mentor Overview

The 2023 TechWomen Mentor applications have now closed. Please be in touch with the TechWomen team at techwomen[at]iie.org with any questions.

TechWomen Mentorship in 2023

IIE is planning for an in-person fall 2023 program in the San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago that will include virtual programming where appropriate. All activities are subject to change based on health and safety recommendations or restrictions. Please refer to the mentor applications for all potential updates to the mentor roles.

IIE will be monitoring mentors’ comfort and ability to attend in-person Bay Area and Chicago events as we approach fall 2023, and the TechWomen team will keep mentors informed of all program updates. Bay Area and Chicago-based mentors should aim to attend in-person events where possible; modifications will be made for mentors outside of program cities. IIE will closely follow CDC health and safety recommendations at all in-person events, and will require all event participants to use PPE.

Learn more about what IIE is doing in response to COVID-19 here.

TechWomen Cultural Mentors

Inspire emerging women leaders to become change agents in their communities
Serve as a cultural ambassador and help participants acclimate to life in the San Francisco Bay Area or Chicago
Build relationships with women across the world
Join a dynamic, supportive network of more than 1000 TechWomen mentor alumnae
Give back and share your experiences with others

What is a Cultural Mentor?

Cultural Mentors are women working and living in the San Francisco Bay Area or Chicago who have a strong commitment to empowering women globally. Cultural Mentors support Emerging Leaders’ professional and personal growth by helping them acclimate to life in the San Francisco Bay Area or Chicago and inspiring them to make the most of their time in the United States. Mentors serve as cultural ambassadors, exposing Emerging Leaders to local attractions, cultural events and service opportunities.

How is a cultural mentorship structured?

TechWomen Cultural Mentors are selected and then matched in small groups to foster relationships and plan activities for a small group of Emerging Leaders. Each TechWomen Cultural Mentor pair is designated a small group to collaboratively plan and facilitate events and activities for Emerging Leaders based on their interests. Past cultural activities have generally fallen into these categories:

Outdoors: e.g. hiking, camping, picnics, visits to the beach and neighborhood walks.
Professional Enrichment: e.g. networking events, speaker series, panels and young professional meetups.
Arts: e.g. theater, dance and music performances, art galleries and museums.
Culinary Excursions: e.g. tasting new cuisines, facilitating new culinary experiences.

What will a Cultural Mentor do?

Cultural Mentors will work with their group to plan and provide cultural immersion opportunities for Emerging Leaders. To facilitate this, the Cultural Mentors pairs prepare and facilitate 2-3 weeknight and weekend events and activities for small groups of Emerging Leaders throughout the program. Cultural Mentors are also encouraged to plan additional informal activities that support Emerging Leaders in gaining the most from their experience in the United States.

Cultural Mentors are required to attend orientations in late August/early September and are invited to a pre-program mentor networking event in September. Several exciting kickoff events with Emerging Leaders will be held in the first week of the program, which begins on September 21.

What is the time commitment?

Serving as a Cultural Mentor requires a considerable time commitment before and during the fall program, including planning and coordinating events with your group in September and October. Mentors agree to commit approximately 5 hours of preparation prior to the beginning of the program. Preparatory activities include the Cultural Mentor orientation, meetings with activity groups and individual coordination of activities.

During the fall program, Cultural Mentors should expect to spend 1-3+ hours per week on weeknights and weekends planning and facilitating participation in cultural events. Past Emerging Leaders have noted that having extensive time with their Cultural Mentors was critical to a successful cultural mentorship experience. Successful mentors have been approachable, engaging and willing to dedicate substantial time to supporting the Emerging Leader community.