Happy National Mentoring Month! Together, We Can Make a Difference for the Next Generation of Leaders

This January, NAF is honored to celebrate National Mentoring Month, an annual month-long event to spotlight the powerful impact of mentorship, especially for the next generation of leaders.

Launched over 20 years ago by MENTOR and its allies, the initiative aims to raise awareness about the significance of mentoring in the United States. Over the years, National Mentoring Month has garnered widespread support from leading nonprofit organizations, elected officials across all levels, and many more with influence.

As part of NAF’s student-centered approach for measuring the success of hands-on learning through our Aspirations, Skills, and Connections framework, called Outcomes-Driven Work-Based Learning (ODWBL), mentoring is a key piece of the puzzle for students to unlock success. Having a sense of their professional direction helps them make more informed decisions about their next steps after high school. 

Additionally, social capital is one of the most important areas students can develop. We aim to help the next generation of talent develop meaningful connections with professionals who can help them navigate their paths forward.

To support NAF’s goals, partners – including Verizon and KPMG – have implemented NAF Alumni Corporate Mentoring Programs. In October 2023, NAF piloted the Verizon│NAF Alumni Corporate Mentoring Program to support alumni during their post-secondary pursuits and help Verizon maintain relationships with the talent they have been working with throughout high school.

Highlights included professional skill development; networking; sharing mentor career journeys; and guidance through on-going interactions – with resources, guides, and check-ins offered along the way. The program concluded in March 2024, with 45 NAF alumni mentees paired with 45 Verizon employees with the goal of 1:1 mentorship.

According to a survey to help measure the progress, “82% of mentors stated they feel they made a difference as a mentor to a NAF alum.”

Others who participated in the program shared that they enjoyed giving back and having a positive impact, as well as being able to impart knowledge, experiences, and wisdom with mentees. Many mentors learned just as much in the process — enabling them to remain intellectually and culturally engaged and offering them a chance to adapt and discuss new ideas with alumni.

This past fall, KPMG also kicked off their NAF Alumni Corporate Mentoring program that will be running through June 2025 and virtually connected NAF alumni with professionals from KPMG offices across the country. Together, we also collaborated to develop training for KPMG and alumni mentees, that resulted in the creation of a Mentoring Guide and are proud to have paired 27 participants! They will continue to build ongoing relationships to explore potential careers, provide guidance on navigating college and career pathways, and shape their professional networks. Mentors also model necessary skills and will assist NAF alumni in preparing for the workplace and future career endeavors.

We would like to thank our incredible mentors for all that they do, this month and throughout the year! Follow NAF on social media — @NAFCareerAcads — for more inspiring content and highlights.