2012-13 PAAIA Mentorship Application Opens Today!
PAAIA is pleased to announce that applications for the 2012-13 PAAIA Mentorship Program open today through June 4th, 2012. Since 2010, PAAIA has matched over 200 young Iranian Americans with industry leaders across the country. As noted decades ago by the Harvard Business Review, “Everyone who makes it has a mentor,” and PAAIA is committed to ensuring that the next generation of Iranian American leaders has access to the resources and guidance of mentors.
A cornerstone of the program is the personal interaction between mentors and mentees, and they build a strong relationship over the course of their time together. PAAIA Board Member and incoming Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Dr. Vali Nasr has mentored young Iranian Americans interested in foreign policy and international affairs. From his experience he shared, “the program provided me valuable opportunity to interact closely with young Iranian Americans considering next stages in their career. I found these interactions to be an occasion to share experiences and ideas, but also to create bridges to the next generation–at once doing community-building and ensuring its success.” Dr. Firouz Naderi, Dr. Hamid Biglari, Ms. Nazie Eftekhari, Mrs. Forough Hosseini, and Mr. Karim Sadjadpour are group of dedicated all-volunteer PAAIA Mentors.
One of Dr. Nasr’s mentees, Sahar Maali, is finishing her Master’s at Columbia University and starting UC Berkeley Law School this fall. Sahar is an active member of PAAIA NexGen, and the Project Lead for the Mentorship Program. Her experience has helped shape her future goals: “Being in the presence of an intellectual and an academic like Dr. Nasr is an inspiration in itself. Moments like sitting in the cafeteria of the State Department, chatting over a cup of coffee about politics, process, and the possibilities that truly put into perspective the paths I may want to pursue in accomplishing my dreams.” Like Sahar, dozens of young Iranian Americans have built valuable relationships with Iranian American mentors who have helped guide them through their next professional or educational goals.
The program, open to PAAIA members for free, gives the younger generation access to industry leaders across the nation. The PAAIA Mentors are recruited from among the organization’s members and associates. Mentees are selected through an application process and are matched with a Mentor for one-on-one meetings. Applications can be found on the Mentorship Program page, and application instructions, FAQ’s, and additional information are available.
Mentorship is a powerful and central feature of success, and PAAIA’s commitment to inspiring and empowering the next generation of young Iranian Americans is unwavering. Connecting our generation’s future thinkers, innovators, and public servants with current industry leaders not only helps sow the seeds of their success, but also further cultivates lasting and meaningful relationships. The upcoming PAAIA Mentorship Program class will also connect and network with one another, and engage with their local PAAIA NexGen chapters and communities.
Apply to be a part of the 2012-13 PAAIA Mentorship Class today!
