Women Mentoring Women: Industry Group Shares Tips for Creating a Successful Mentorship Program

Collaboration enriches us personally and professionally, especially for women who support each other in (often) male-dominated fields. This article discusses a vibrant model for a mentorship program that is being spearheaded by New England Women in Energy and the Environment (NEWIEE), a multidisciplinary organization for women practicing in the intersecting fields of energy and the environment. The NEWIEE Mentorship Program comprises two elements—Website Matchups and Circles. The Website Matchups portion of the Mentorship Program pairs experienced practitioners willing to give back as mentors with eager mentees, to facilitate robust relationships across disciplines and career paths and to foster learning and professional growth. In the Circles portion, NEWIEE sponsors small-group learning experiences on specific topics, where senior practitioners lead discussions, interactive role-plays, and experiential learning on specific topics of interest to our membership (e.g., résumé building, network skills, interviewing tips). This article describes how the Website Matchups portion of the Mentorship Program was formed, lessons learned in working with the mentors and mentees, and a summary of its participant reviews to date.