Our Mentorship Program
Interested in joining our Mentorship Program as a mentor or mentee?
We are now accepting applications to the 2025 Mentorship Program! This yearlong program pairs women early in their careers or those completing a college-level academic program with experienced mentors who provide tailored guidance on topics like transitioning fields, navigating career challenges, growing your network, and building confidence and leadership skills. Apply now through November 22 to be a mentee or mentor and join a supportive community of women empowering women!
Apply today by completing the relevant application form linked below:
Interested in learning more about our Mentorship Program?
The goal of the Wisconsin Women’s Network Mentorship Program is simple: create opportunities for women to cultivate meaningful relationships with strong, inspirational role models throughout Wisconsin.
Our mentors come from various professions and backgrounds, united by a shared commitment to helping women succeed. They generously dedicate their time to meet with mentees, listen attentively, ask insightful questions, offer guidance, and share resources that can support personal and professional growth.
We match these supportive mentors with women who are completing their studies or early in their careers to help them navigate transitions, tackle big decisions, work toward their goals, and discover more about themselves. Our mentors and mentees are carefully paired together, based on career aspirations and personal interests, so that mentees can stand on the shoulders of their mentors and build lasting, impactful relationships.
Because studies show that the longer the mentoring relationship, the more benefits that mentees receive, our program spans an entire year. This gives our mentees the opportunity to really get to know their mentors and explore their professional development. If you'd like to read more about what we accomplished in recent years, check out our Annual Reports.
The Wisconsin Women’s Network is committed to ensuring the Mentorship Program is available to women from diverse socioeconomic, LGBTQ+, generational, geographic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds who may have not had access to similar mentorship opportunities.
Why mentoring?
Research shows that individuals who have a mentor are more confident in their academic abilities. A recent analysis of more than 73 independent mentoring programs found that mentoring results in positive outcomes across social, emotional, behavioral and academic areas of development. For women, mentorship is especially powerful. Mentorship empowers women to grow professionally and develop the social capital necessary to advance in their careers. Over time, the impact of mentoring compounds, leading to more women in leadership roles and inspiring mentees to become mentors themselves.
As a Network of thoughtful women leaders, we understand the transformative power of connection and its critical role in broadening our perspectives and enabling greater achievement. Quality mentoring not only helps women realize their goals, but can also significantly strengthen communities, the economy, and our state. And that’s what we need in Wisconsin.
“It’s been incredible to be part of an organization that has a focus on mentoring our state’s future leaders. The women who participate in the WWN Mentorship Program work toward personal goals, overcome challenges, and go on to create positive impacts in their communities. ”
Special thanks to all of our generous donors who make the Mentorship Program possible, including the Widen Family Foundation for your grant contributions to the 2024 Mentorship Program.
We asked some of our recent mentors and mentees about the Mentorship Program. Here’s what they had to say:
Yash enjeti, Mentee
“I was matched with my mentor, and I had a great partnership with her during my tenure at WWN. I enjoyed discussing several topics and she guided me not only on how to identify a mutual fit in an organization, especially after a career break, but also on several topics like salary negotiation and exploring leadership opportunities. I am grateful for this opportunity to be a mentee through WWN’s program.”
Jamie Herrmann, MENTEE & Mentor
“I really enjoyed the mentorship program. I didn't know what to expect when I signed up, and at the end of the program wished I would have signed up sooner. It was great to get to learn from my mentor and have the opportunity to network with others with similar experiences. I am excited to take what I learned from my first year as a mentee and apply it as a mentor this year.”
Dana Hoffmann, MENTor
"It’s uplifting to see another generation of young women who want to make a difference in the world, and be able to share some of my insights to assist them in that endeavor."
Paige ScobeE, MENTEE
"My mentor not only helped me get an internship and full time job, but also provided me with advice and support to get through tough situations at work, school and home. I learned so much in my year in the mentorship program and gained a lifelong mentor."
Mackenzie Greisch, MENTEE
"Through the mentorship program, Deborah managed to help me navigate both my professional development and personal growth over a cup of coffee and a shared love of brunch, and I am happy to say that we continue that connection today—for that, I am forever grateful to the Wisconsin Women's Network."