On to 100,000! MentorNet's Founder and CEO Looks to the Future
MentorNet starts off 2005 on a platform of award-winning program and technology development,
and is poised to celebrate the 7th anniversary of opening MentorNet's web site and One-on-One
program. In 1998, we matched just over 200 students from 15 colleges and universities in
mentoring relationships. In only a few years, we've served more than 12,000 mentor-protégé pairs.
What keeps our spirits high are the the multitude of wonderful personal stories about changed
lives, hopes, and aspirations that protégés and mentors share with us, rich with evidence of the
positive benefits for advancing women in engineering and science. Our evaluations have been
outstanding, especially relating to the positive effects of e-mentoring support for targeted
women and minorities.
MentorNet's early years have been characterized by rapid development and substantial expansion.
Even during the recent economic downturn that affected Silicon Valley, the technology sector,
and higher education funding, MentorNet was able to sustain the quality of our infrastructure
and programs. With the upturn in the economy, we expect to compete for and achieve even more corporate,
government, and foundation funding to allow MentorNet's continued enhancement and growth.
Over the years MentorNet has developed a community-which includes you-that serves and depends
upon these ties. Nearly 100 formal partnerships with organizations, hundreds of informal connections,
and thousands of volunteer mentors contribute to MentorNet's success. We also welcome to the
community a growing number of individuals who contribute to MentorNet with tax-deductible contributions.
In this fiscal year (2004-05) we are redoubling our efforts to maintain and build partnerships
with corporations, colleges and universities, government agencies, and professional societies.
Importantly, with funding from the National Science Foundation, we have added an exciting new
program (ACE) to support early career faculty in engineering and science through e-mentoring
relationships with experienced tenured faculty members.
In the next few months, we will be moving from San Jose State University, our incubator for the
last seven years. We're exploring a variety of options and anticipate identifying a new home this
spring. We plan for service to continue seamlessly, and we are looking forward to creating a
dynamic new partnership that will provide the synergy to spark MentorNet's growth and creativity.
We are starting the year with some exciting new initiatives, starting with the
"Drive for 500", a series of programs designed to add at least 500 new mentor-protégé pairs in our One-on-One programs. We have
launched a Student Leadership Corps, kicked off a special initiative focused on computer science
students, and offered campuses a Fast Track to MentorNet with a new six-month "trial package."
Our sponsors have come up with great prizes and participants will have fun and receive recognition
for their efforts!
In addition, MentorNet is launching its Second Annual MentorNet Essay Contest, and we expect to
receive excellent submissions on a variety of topics. Several entrants may be invited to relate
their experiences to a wider audience, and the top essays will be published on the MentorNet website
and in other communications.
Looking ahead, in collaboration with the our newest Partner Affiliate, WEPAN, and our strong ally,
NAMEPA, in April we'll be offering a day-long workshop - "Success through Mentoring: A Workshop on
Mentoring Research and Practice" - to share our expertise with colleagues in higher education,
government, and industry.
With its strong infrastructure and high quality programs, I believe that MentorNet is poised to
serve larger numbers of individuals and organizations even more effectively-including up to 100,000
mentors and protégés by 2008. In early February, we will be laying out our vision and goals and
creating strategic plans for the next three years, with the assistance of the MentorNet Board of
Directors, Advisory Board, staff and community members. I’m looking forward to reporting to you
on the new blueprint we will create for MentorNet.
I hope you will continue to give us your input and support as we strive to reach our goals! Please
keep your questions, comments, and ideas flowing, and thank you for your engagement with MentorNet.
- Carol B. Muller, Ph. D., Founder and CEO