Mentorship: Merging Inspiration with Opportunity

“Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living—if you do it well I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.” – Denzel Washington

January marks national mentoring month-aimed at highlighting the importance of mentorship. Whether you are early in your career or a seasoned professional, it is always the right time to be a mentor or seek mentorship. BPN’s Next Steps Program merges inspiration with opportunities, providing BPN members the chance to mentor college students and those just breaking into the workforce.

Last year, BPN’s partnered with community stakeholders across a variety of sectors to guide some of the community’s brightest young minds. Leaders in areas of expertise like law, marketing, media, and beyond came together for the 12 week curriculum that pairs students with a mentor in their field. Once paired with a mentor in their field, each student will spend a day at a corporation shadowing an executive, closing out with a pitch competition based on their ability to comprehend how businesses generate revenue and market.

“Looking back, this was the start of it all-this Black Professionals Network Executive for the Day turned into the start of one of the coolest opportunities I have had thus far,” said Next Steps mentee Vianey Ladron de Guevara.

Ready to share your knowledge and time with talented young scholars? Sign up for BPN Next Steps mentorship program to make a difference today: https://mybpn.org/mentor-application/