Through our careers as student affairs professionals, we know the importance of serving as role models, advisors, guides, and counselors to our students. We assist them daily- directly and indirectly. Ours is a serving profession and most of us are a part of it because we know our positions help impact others.

It is probably safe to assume, that most of us have a special interest in making sure we support students of color achieve success in their collegiate careers. We understand that it helps to have people to look-up to and seek assistance from, especially if they understand us culturally. If we think back on our own personal lives, there was probably an individual (or two) who was very influential in our lives. S/he was there when we needed: advice; to vent our frustrations; to have someone provide us with clarity when we couldn’t understand how to handle situations.

Depending on when this individual came into our lives, we may not have realized the importance of his/her role in development. However, now that we are older, we understand just how beneficial it is to have someone in our corner to help us “learn the ropes.” In fact, we understand that the advantage of having someone to turn to for guidance and support can extend into our professional lives as well.

The Pan African Network seeks to re-create a mentoring program. The purpose of this program is to connect new African-American student affairs professionals with more seasoned ones. We mention ‘re-creation’ because some time ago, PAN had such a program in place. Actually, the Convention Colleagues program that is for all ACPA members is said to be a ‘descendant’ of PAN’s original program.

Convention Colleagues is a valuable program in which you are encouraged to participate, but based on feedback from current PAN members, there appears to be a need for a mentoring network that extends beyond ACPA’s annual convention and one which specifically addresses issues faced by professionals of color.

Therefore, the PAN directorate is inviting you to participate in our pilot Foundation Mentoring Network, appropriately named because we are very aware that it is the relationships that we establish along the way that serve as a base for where we are to go. Below, you will find two links to download an application form (one each to Microsoft Word & Adobe PDF formats). Please complete and return the form (according to the application directions) to Denise Shipley by March 8, 2002. If all goes well, you would be matched with a mentor or mentee (depending on your request) with whom you would have the opportunity to meet during the Pan African Network Social held on March 16, 2002 during the ACPA annual convention.

We really hope that you will take the opportunity to partake in this program! The program can and will be what you make it. The amount of contact and the type of relationship developed between mentor and mentee will be up to you to decide. We will pair (or group) you and provide you with the chance to meet each other, but from there, you will have the freedom to make the connection what you like.

The success of the Foundation Mentoring Network will depend on your participation- literally. It will only work if we have enough applicants. That means we need both mentors and mentees. It is our hope that we receive a fairly equal amount of both. We are defining a mentor as anyone who has been a student affairs professional between three years or longer. A mentee is anyone who is a new professional or an aspiring new professional to the field with less than 3 years experience.

We are looking forward to your participation in this ‘pilot’ endeavor. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Denise Shipley at <Shipley@cl.uh.edu>. Remember the deadline to submit your application is March 8, 2002. You can submit your application via one of two methods:

1) email your application form () by attachment to Denise Shipley at <Shipley@cl.uh.edu>, or
2) mail your completed application form () to:

Denise L. Shipley
University of Houston-Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd., MC 194
Houston, TX 77058

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