ASWA - American Socitey of Women Accountants

What the Program Is:

The ASWA Mentoring Program provides students with insight into a career in accounting. It achieves this by providing students with the opportunity to interact with established accounting professionals who also are ASWA members. The purpose of the program is to provide students with more knowledge about the accounting profession and to get encouragement from ASWA member mentors.

Who is Eligible to Participate?

The ASWA Mentoring Program is open to college seniors and current student members of ASWA.

This year, 2007-08, The Philadelphia Chapter of ASWA is introducing the Mentoring Program as a pilot program. The Mentor Committee will only be choosing a maximum of 10 Mentor-Mentee Teams for the pilot year. Based on the success of the program, we will expand the program participants in future years. Students who are selected to participate in the program will automatically become a student member of ASWA with the membership fee paid by the Chapter. (Those who have already paid dues for the current year will be prepaid by the chapter for the next fiscal year). This is in appreciation for being our pilot mentees.

The mentor should have three years of practical accounting or accounting-related business experience and be a Regular member of ASWA for at least one year. The mentor should be familiar with the Philadelphia Chapter ASWA members and some of the activities.

How the Program Works:

College seniors and student members enroll in the mentoring program by completing the enrollment form. Students are then matched with an ASWA professional member according to the student’s primary area of interest. Whenever possible, arrangements are made for the student and mentor to be as close geographically as possible, for easier communication and personal meetings and activities.

Students and mentors may join during the enrollment period, which begins on Student Night and ends December 31st each year. The program ends in June of each year at the ASWA June Installation of Officers and Directors and Past President’s Meeting. At this meeting, students and mentors will have an opportunity to discuss their events and activities, and complete a post-program evaluation form to assess the program and suggest how it can be improved.

Mentors with their mentees are required to attend at least one ASWA Regular meeting or event together by May 31st each year.

Guidelines and Suggestions for Mentees:

	•	Talk with your mentor specifically about what you would like to learn.
	•	Respect your mentor’s time and schedule. Arrive for meetings on time and ready to work.
	•	Prepare a resume and other relevant materials for your mentor to review.
	•	Make a list of questions you’d like to ask your mentor.
	•	Try to meet as often as possible.
	•	Engage your mentor in discussions about your career goals and the best way for you to reach them.
	•	Be direct. If you have a question, ask it.
	•	Be receptive to your mentor’s advice.

Guidelines and Suggestions for Mentors:

	•	Be available to answer questions.
	•	Share with the student what you wish you had known when you were starting out.
	•	Communicate at least once each month, more often if possible.
	•	Let your student know about times that will be particularly busy, such as when you are meeting deadlines or closing an issue.
	•	Try to arrange for the student to spend part of a day with you at your office to see the operations and to see you in action.
	•	Take the student to lunch and maybe have some others from your organization join you to toss around ideas.
	•	Offer honest critiques of your student's materials. Be truthful.
	•	Take the time to get to know the student. Arrange informal sessions outside the office.
	•	Spend time reviewing resume and other pertinent materials.
	•	Set up a mock job interview.
	•	Share stories about how you got to be where you are.
	•	Discuss how to effectively network.
	•	Be honest and realistic about working life.
	•	Encourage your student to publish pieces before graduation.
	•	Discuss current industry happenings and stress the importance of being knowledgeable in their area of expertise.
	•	Review resources for career building and job seeking.
	•	Discuss classes or programs you found helpful.
	•	Take the student to another networking or volunteer event that you may be involved.

Mentor Application

Mentor Application in MS-Word format (28 kb)

Download Instructions
Follow these simple instructions to download the Scholarship Application.

Windows User: Right click on the link above, click "Save Target As"
Mac User: Hold down Control button, click on the link above, click "Save Link To Disc"

Application and Deadline:

This year, we will begin accepting both Mentor and Mentee applications beginning Student Night, November 13, 2007 through November 30, 2007. The Mentor committee will review each application and select the mentor-mentee team based on common areas of interest. A letter of notification will be issued to all program participants by December 31, 2007.