ACE Mentorship Program

The NOVAL-DC Anh Chị Em (ACE) Program connects Vietnamese college students in the Washington, D.C. area with rising and established professionals. The program includes individual mentoring, professional development workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and civic and cultural activities. It is an opportunity to meet professionals from different industry fields and gain insight on potential career opportunities after graduation. This program commitment is from February 2022 until August 2022.
Please note, there may a limit to the amount of students and mentors accepted and you will be notified of your acceptance by February 11.

STUDENT ELIGIBILITY AND EXPECTATIONS

The ACE Program is open to all current Vietnamese undergraduate students enrolled in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Each student in the program is matched with one mentor who can provide advice on career paths, navigating the D.C. area, graduate school, and general life after graduation. This is also a chance to meet other Vietnamese students and professionals, and create a supportive network in the DC/MD/VA area.
Students are expected to commit to:
1. Participating in at least 5 of 6 mandatory sessions which will be held virtually every month on a Tuesday from 7:30-9:00 P.M. ET, with the exception of the events in February and May (dependent on Covid-19), which will be on a Saturday and in-person. Time and location will be set with advanced notice
2. Meeting with their assigned mentor for one hour each month (via email, phone, in-person, etc.)
3. Being responsive to all email communications, and
4. Actively participating in all professional events and activities throughout the year, including planning the ACE Student Community Project and volunteering for NOVAL-DC’s main event, VietFest. The Student Community Project will be an initiative that all students will work on collaboratively to help benefit the community (ex. fundraiser, community service, advocacy, etc.).

STUDENT APPLICATION

The application period will run through Monday, January 31, 2022.

APPLY TO BE A STUDENT HERE.

MENTOR PARTICIPATION

By attending events and being available for one-on-one discussions, ACE mentors have an opportunity to provide valuable support and advice while helping students explore career options, build networks, and learn about life in/near DC. In addition to providing essential support to current Vietnamese students, this volunteer opportunity is a chance to meet other professionals in the D.C. metro area.
Mentors are expected to commit to:
1. Attending a mentor workshop prior to the beginning of the program
2. Attending the program kick-off on February 26
3. Meeting with their assigned mentee(s) for one hour each month (via email, phone, in-person, etc.)
4. Being responsive to all email communications, and
5. Actively participating in professional events and activities throughout the year (optional for mentors, but highly encouraged if available)
The application period will run through Thursday, February 10, 2022.

APPLY TO BE A MENTOR HERE.

SCHEDULE:

January 18 – Applications Open

January 31 – Mentee Application Deadline

February 10 – Mentor Application Deadline

February 11 – Notification of Mentee/Mentor Selection

Week of February 7 & 14 – One-on-One with member of ACE Team

February 26 – Program Kick-Off

February 26, March 22, April 19, May 28, June 28, July 19 – Mandatory Sessions

April Mid-Program Review

August TBD – VietFest 2022 & Program Completion Celebration

*Please note dates are subject to change with prior notice.

For more information please contact Jenny Nguyen, ACE Coordinator at Jenny.Nguyen.NOVALDC@gmail.com.