Find a Partner! Mentoring Program Begins

by Heidi Anderson

After a year of work by the Rewards/Promotion/Merit arm of the diversity teams, the Financial Management Mentoring Program is underway! The program launched with a website and email from V’Ella on March 11, 2003.

There are several things that make our program unique. The first thing is our special attention to matching, which we believe is the key to a successful program.

Having mentor biographies on the web allows for mentees to choose who they’d like to partner with. Giving employees a choice in their selection of mentors is very important to develop ownership of the mentoring process. If a mentee is not comfortable choosing their own mentor, the team will make every effort possible to match them with a compatible mentor.

The team uses criteria including length of service, department needs, and even outside interests. Our team represents many different areas of Financial Management and this will help us in matching people as well.

The second thing that is unique is the constant monitoring and support that both mentors and mentees will receive from the diversity team staff throughout their year long commitment. By using emails, articles, and one-on-one support the team is committed to supporting and fostering a positive journey for each person involved.

The third and possibly the greatest tool that will be given to both mentors and mentees is the day spent on building the mentoring relationship. This day is for the pairs of mentors and mentees and is scheduled on May 14, 2003 from 8:30 to 4:30 at the Ethnic Cultural Center. The training will be facilitated by Ruth Johnston, QI champion in Financial Management, and Eric Davis, a diversity consultant who works as an adviser at the UW. This will be time to get to know each other, share experiences, explore values, and establish goals for the relationship. In addition to developing the mentoring relationship, the day will include a section on diversity awareness.

A second round of the mentoring program is set to roll out sometime in October and every six months or so after that. Financial Management and the diversity team for Promotion/Reward and Merit are committed to the success of this program – and we hope that all FM staff will participate in it over time.

For more information, please contact any of the team members: Ann Sarna, Jaeson Albritton, Shawn Williams, Evelyn Jagoring, David Wright, Erick Winger, or Heidi Anderson or visit our website:

http://www.washington.edu/admin/finmgmt/pmp

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