Encourage, Inspire, Support
Join CWEEL's Summer Mentorship Program
Our priority is to support and advance the careers of women in the energy and environmental industries, by facilitating connections for women seeking to broaden their support circles.
Through the summer mentorship program, as a mentee you will connect with a mentor from our diverse and vast international network to encourage, inspire, and support you.
Whether your goal is to improve work-life balance, gain confidence in fostering industry connections, advance your career, develop interpersonal skills, or become aware of events and trainings…our program is here to meet you on your journey.
Applications are currently closed. We invite you to attend a CWEEL Empowerment Session, that happen every second and fourth Monday of each month. Click to view CWEEL Empowerment Sessions. Email [email protected] with questions.
Summer Mentorship Program Details
Application Deadline: May 15, 2024
Participant Selection Notification: May 31, 2024
Orientation Training: Virtual Training & Office Hour information will be sent to participants
Program KickOff: June 1, 2024
Mid-Program Check In: July 2024
Program Completion: August 30, 2024
Benefits
For Mentees
- Access to a supportive network: Engage with a community women and allies in the energy and sustainability sectors, fostering connections that can provide valuable insights and encouragement.
- Personalized guidance and mentorship: Receive tailored advice and support from peers and experienced professionals to navigate career challenges, set goals, and enhance skills development.
- Professional growth opportunities: Gain access to resources, opportunities, and industry insights that can accelerate career advancement and broaden perspectives within the field.
For Mentors
- Leadership and coaching experience: Develop and refine leadership skills by guiding and empowering mentees, honing abilities in communication, empathy, and mentorship.
- Expanded professional network: Connect with talented mentees and fellow mentors, fostering relationships that can lead to collaboration, learning, and career opportunities.
- Fulfillment through impact: Experience the satisfaction of making a tangible difference in the lives and careers of mentees, contributing to the advancement and success of women in the energy and sustainability sectors.
Expectations
The Mentee will:
- Proactively seek guidance and support from the mentor
- Facilitate communication cadence and schedule
- Prepare agendas and send in advance of the sessions
The Mentor will:
- Be available during the sessions to support the mentee
- Dedicate time to focus on the mentee
- Foster an open, trusted, and safe environment
Requirements & Application
Mentee
- CWEEL Membership (available as an add-on to AEE Membership)
- Identify as a woman
- Involvement in energy or sustainability fields through career or education
Mentor
- CWEEL Membership (available as an add-on to AEE Membership)
- People of all genders and ages are encouraged to apply to be a mentor
- Involvement in energy or sustainability fields through career or education
From CWEEL
Participants can expect a dedicated CWEEL contact throughout the length of the mentoring program. We will also provide pre-program training, separate orientations for mentors and mentees, regular program check-in opportunities, and dedicated resources.
How to add the CWEEL Divsion to Your Existing AEE Membership
- Log into AEE's membership portal
- On your home screen, you should see a form that says "Upgrade Your Membership/Add-Ons (Divisions)"
- Select CWEEL as a division you would like to add to your membership.
The Mentoring program is available to AEE –CWEEL members only.
Not a member of AEE? Click here to join
SUCCESS STORIES
“The CWEEL mentor program has been such a gift. I reached out to Charlotte after learning of the program and was matched only a few weeks later. Debi and I have so many similarities, it was a breeze to form a bond. She is a terrific support. It's wonderful to have an ear external to your place of work to really look at your career and advancement plans.”
– Kiersten W.
“I’m grateful to be part of this program and it’s been incredible to have Kjrsten as my mentor. She gave me advice on courses I could take for professional development and I ended up taking an online AEE training course. She also gave me advice on how to do business development as we both are working in the similar function. Lately we started to catch up once a week to develop a project that hopefully we can present in the future AEE conference. It’s very exciting!”
– Cissy B.
“My mentoring experience has been absolutely great. I was unemployed and frankly very down on myself when I had my first phone call with her, and hearing her say, “I have been there. I know how you feel. You will get through this” was exactly what I needed to hear...In my down time, I was looking for ways to get involved in the community and sustainable energy and she gave me some great suggestions that landed me a spot on the team working to develop the City of Bethlehem’s climate action plan, which I wouldn’t have even known about unless she mentioned it and helped me research it! I am more than thrilled to be active in the community in this way...She recently took the LEED Green Associates exam... since my new position will be doing LEED consulting... I look forward to her help coaching me in those areas as well. I could not be more thankful for having come across this mentorship program– for me, it was really a game changer.”
– Elisabeth C.
"I am so happy to have been paired with Kiersten – ours is a mutually beneficial mentor/mentee relationship. Kiersten is a highly motivated, bright, and interesting woman – extremely dedicated to sustainability and reversing the effects of climate change. She inspires me to do more in my own life to protect our environment for future generations."
-Debi R.
“I have been having monthly tag-ups with my mentor for several months now. I have learned a lot and have been inspired by other women in our industry.”
– Devan T.
“The Mentoring program was really good, we had the opportunity to talk a couple of times and was really an open eye experience.”
– Myrna P.
“My mentor was in Nigeria and very cool to talk to. We messaged a few times over Skype and she had great suggestions for where to look for recurring internships to find a heading/starting point in energy engineering. I am actually in Vermont doing one this summer! I like that CWEEL has people/mentors all over the globe–I don’t think I would have known about WRI’s postings had I been limited to talking to and learning from energy engineers who work heavily within the traditional US firms.
– Feibi Y.
Charlotte & Megan Mentoring Pair Testimonial
The Council for Women in Energy and Environmental Leadership (CWEEL), through its affiliation with the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), offers a mentoring program in energy efficiency and sustainability to … Read more
Kjrsten & Cissy Mentoring Pair Testimonial
Kjrsten and Cissy are a CWEEL mentoring pair that have been matched since May of 2019. They have co-authored an Energy Management article for the International Journal of Strategic Energy … Read more
Debi & Kiersten Mentoring Pair Testimonial
Debi and Kiersten are a mentoring pair that was matched in April 2021. While it has only been a few months, they have already met a handful of times over … Read more