Five people stand in the foreground beneath "AIGA ORL mentorship" text against a light blue geometric background.

AIGA Orlando

LXCL:Mandatory application and program fee. This supports the 2027 Mentorship Program operational costs, and SPOT Showcase operational costs. Applications fee will be refunded if application is not accepted.

Mentee (Students)

LXCL:Mentors, we appreciate your time and contribution. No application fee is required to participate.

Mentor (Professionals)

AIGA Orlando is beyond excited to introduce the upcoming 2027 Mentorship Program and are currently accepting applications for mentees and mentors! Our Mentorship Program, established over 20 years ago, has developed into an institution within our creative community that is synonymous with graduation from one of our notable design programs at one of the several colleges and institutes of higher education here in Central Florida. This is through the efforts of our past and present AIGA Orlando Leadership, volunteers, and the generous donation of time and hard work from our Mentors and Mentees over the years. Each year presents new inspiration through the perspectives of our communities&#39; prospective and new graduates, while providing them with networking opportunities, creative enrichment, lasting friendships, and a large step in the front door of their professional career in design. We know you are excited about this opportunity (who isn&rsquo;t), but maybe there are just a few questions you need answered before you apply. Please take some time to read through the following FAQs on our 2027 Mentorship Program. What is the AIGA Orlando Mentorship Program?The AIGA Orlando Mentorship Program pairs the most passionate design students with leading industry professionals to help refine their skills and prepare them for a career in a creative field through a comprehensive semester of learning experiences and a self-created portfolio project!&nbsp; What do I stand to benefit from participating in the Mentorship Program?As a MenteeYou will have an exhilarating design challenge to build into a mutli-format and comprehensive portfolio project! Also, you&#39;ll have access to informative design experiences, networking events, and be paired to work with an experienced local professional to mentor you along the way. The culmination of the mentorship program is your very own opportunity to present your portfolio project and hard work to a panel of judges and the public in our Annual SPOT Showcase, with the ability to win awards offered by Orlando AIGA &nbsp;and our community of sponsors.As a MentorYou will impart your skills and years of experience to make a lasting impact on the next generation of creative professionals through periodic check-ins and conversations about their progress and work on the mentorship project. While contact is the responsibility of the mentee, you will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face at the kick-off event and decide on a correspondence method and schedule that works best for the two of you as you work to guide them through the Portfolio Project challenge. What is the Application &amp; Program Fee Structure?For Mentees$30 Application Fee (upon applying) payment due immediately.Application fee will be refunded if application is&nbsp;not&nbsp;accepted.For MentorsMentors can apply for free. No fee is required. Do I have to be an active AIGA Member to participate in the Mentorship Program?No, being an active member of AIGA is not a requirement for Mentees or Mentors at this time. What are the requirements to apply?As a MenteeYou need to be in your final year/semester, or recently graduated in the past 3 months, in a higher education program (college, trade school). You will also need to be local to Orlando, FL or the greater Central Florida area and be able to commute to Orlando at least once a month from January to April. Applicants that have participated in the AIGA Orl Mentorship Program previously are not eligible for this years program.As a MentorYou need to have at least 4 - 5 years experience working in a professional role that focuses on Graphic Design. &nbsp;You will also need to be local to Orlando, FL or the greater Central Florida area and be able to commute to Orlando at least once or twice from January to April. How long is the Mentorship Program?&nbsp;The mentorship program will be in session from January 2027 the end of April 2027. Below are some important dates in the 2027 Mentorship Program timeline.&nbsp; What are some of the important dates?Please note that some of these may be subject to change.November 9, 2026 - Applications OpenNovember 29, 2026 - Applications CloseJanuary 9, 2027 - Kick-off (Mentee &amp; Mentor Pairing)February TBA - Design Experience 01March 6, 2026 - Midway Check-inMarch TBA - Design Experience 02April 17, 2027 - Final Project DueApril 24, 2027 - SPOT Showcase What happens after I apply?As a MenteeOnce accepted into the mentorship program, we will have a kick-off meeting where you will be paired with a mentor and find out all the program details. Next, you will create a proposal for your design project.<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYri6dxGWfb/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Check out last year&rsquo;s winners here.</a>As a MentorYour application will be processed, and if you are accepted you will be notified via email. We will pair you with a mentee that has shared similar focus and interests. You will be introduced at the Mentorship Kick-off Event. Where does my Application Fee go?Your application fee will help support the cost of the mentorship program operations (event budget, event materials, snacks, and swag) for both the Mentorship Program design experiences, and the SPOT Showcase.&nbsp;What is the Portfolio Project for?At the end of April our program will host the SPOT Showcase: an event where you will share and present your design project! There will be a panel of judges, and awards offered to the projects that are judged as the most comprehensive, creative, and thoughtful in response to the mentorship prompt.&nbsp; What are the Portfolio Project details?Your portfolio project will be a multi-format comprehensive campaign project that is centered around a specific prompt and theme that will be issued at the Mentorship Kick-off event. Mentees are permitted to explore the prompt and themes through the lens of their particular interests and strengths, with guidance from their paired Mentor.&nbsp; What is the time commitment if accepted into the Mentorship Program?As a MenteeProject research and production typically takes about 2 hours per week for the duration of the Mentorship Program (January - April). Contact schedule with your Mentor will be agreed upon once you are paired.&nbsp;Mandatory attendance is also required to the Design Experiences that have been planned as part of the Mentorship Program (about 2 hours, with commute to local destinations in Orlando, once a month in person).As a MentorYou should budget at least 1 hour each month to check-in with your Mentee in the method of communication that works best for your schedule. What is the SPOT Showcase?The SPOT Showcase is the culmination of the Mentorship Program, where Mentee projects will be presented, judged, awarded, and celebrated with the larger design community. SPOT Showcase offers Mentees the ability to build a display to showcase and speak to the judges and the public about their work in a casual, face-to-face, convention-style tabling format. A keynote speaker is usually invited to address the graduates and attendees on entering the professional workforce and finding success in a design career.If you are curious about how this works, please check out the <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aigaorlando/albums/72177720333465376/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">archived photos of our SPOT Showcase from last year.</a>&nbsp;Details about SPOT Showcase setup, space, time, and requirements will be addressed ahead of the event after the final Project due date. How much should I budget for production and display of my Project for SPOT Showcase?Your project&#39;s maximum budget is $300.Note: $300 is not provided by AIGA - It&rsquo;s a guide for you to budget your money. If the 2027 Mentorship Program sounds appealing to you, then what are you waiting for?! Apply today!&nbsp;Remember, spots are limited.

AIGA Orlando is beyond excited to introduce the upcoming 2027 Mentorship Program and are currently accepting applications for mentees and mentors! Our Mentorship Program, established over 20 years ago, has developed into an institution within our creative community that is synonymous with graduation from one of our notable design programs at one of the several colleges and institutes of higher education here in Central Florida. This is through the efforts of our past and present AIGA Orlando Leadership, volunteers, and the generous donation of time and hard work from our Mentors and Mentees over the years. Each year presents new inspiration through the perspectives of our communities' prospective and new graduates, while providing them with networking opportunities, creative enrichment, lasting friendships, and a large step in the front door of their professional career in design. We know you are excited about this opportunity (who isn’t), but maybe there are just a few questions you need answered before you apply. Please take some time to read through the following FAQs on our 2027 Mentorship Program. What is the AIGA Orlando Mentorship Program?The AIGA Orlando Mentorship Program pairs the most passionate design students with leading industry professionals to help refine their skills and prepare them for a career in a creative field through a comprehensive semester of learning experiences and a self-created portfolio project!  What do I stand to benefit from participating in the Mentorship Program?As a MenteeYou will have an exhilarating design challenge to build into a mutli-format and comprehensive portfolio project! Also, you'll have access to informative design experiences, networking events, and be paired to work with an experienced local professional to mentor you along the way. The culmination of the mentorship program is your very own opportunity to present your portfolio project and hard work to a panel of judges and the public in our Annual SPOT Showcase, with the ability to win awards offered by Orlando AIGA  and our community of sponsors.As a MentorYou will impart your skills and years of experience to make a lasting impact on the next generation of creative professionals through periodic check-ins and conversations about their progress and work on the mentorship project. While contact is the responsibility of the mentee, you will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face at the kick-off event and decide on a correspondence method and schedule that works best for the two of you as you work to guide them through the Portfolio Project challenge. What is the Application &amp; Program Fee Structure?For Mentees$30 Application Fee (upon applying) payment due immediately.Application fee will be refunded if application is not accepted.For MentorsMentors can apply for free. No fee is required. Do I have to be an active AIGA Member to participate in the Mentorship Program?No, being an active member of AIGA is not a requirement for Mentees or Mentors at this time. What are the requirements to apply?As a MenteeYou need to be in your final year/semester, or recently graduated in the past 3 months, in a higher education program (college, trade school). You will also need to be local to Orlando, FL or the greater Central Florida area and be able to commute to Orlando at least once a month from January to April. Applicants that have participated in the AIGA Orl Mentorship Program previously are not eligible for this years program.As a MentorYou need to have at least 4 - 5 years experience working in a professional role that focuses on Graphic Design.  You will also need to be local to Orlando, FL or the greater Central Florida area and be able to commute to Orlando at least once or twice from January to April. How long is the Mentorship Program? The mentorship program will be in session from January 2027 the end of April 2027. Below are some important dates in the 2027 Mentorship Program timeline.  What are some of the important dates?Please note that some of these may be subject to change.November 9, 2026 - Applications OpenNovember 29, 2026 - Applications CloseJanuary 9, 2027 - Kick-off (Mentee &amp; Mentor Pairing)February TBA - Design Experience 01March 6, 2026 - Midway Check-inMarch TBA - Design Experience 02April 17, 2027 - Final Project DueApril 24, 2027 - SPOT Showcase What happens after I apply?As a MenteeOnce accepted into the mentorship program, we will have a kick-off meeting where you will be paired with a mentor and find out all the program details. Next, you will create a proposal for your design project.<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYri6dxGWfb/" target="_blank">Check out last year’s winners here.</a>As a MentorYour application will be processed, and if you are accepted you will be notified via email. We will pair you with a mentee that has shared similar focus and interests. You will be introduced at the Mentorship Kick-off Event. Where does my Application Fee go?Your application fee will help support the cost of the mentorship program operations (event budget, event materials, snacks, and swag) for both the Mentorship Program design experiences, and the SPOT Showcase. What is the Portfolio Project for?At the end of April our program will host the SPOT Showcase: an event where you will share and present your design project! There will be a panel of judges, and awards offered to the projects that are judged as the most comprehensive, creative, and thoughtful in response to the mentorship prompt.  What are the Portfolio Project details?Your portfolio project will be a multi-format comprehensive campaign project that is centered around a specific prompt and theme that will be issued at the Mentorship Kick-off event. Mentees are permitted to explore the prompt and themes through the lens of their particular interests and strengths, with guidance from their paired Mentor.  What is the time commitment if accepted into the Mentorship Program?As a MenteeProject research and production typically takes about 2 hours per week for the duration of the Mentorship Program (January - April). Contact schedule with your Mentor will be agreed upon once you are paired. Mandatory attendance is also required to the Design Experiences that have been planned as part of the Mentorship Program (about 2 hours, with commute to local destinations in Orlando, once a month in person).As a MentorYou should budget at least 1 hour each month to check-in with your Mentee in the method of communication that works best for your schedule. What is the SPOT Showcase?The SPOT Showcase is the culmination of the Mentorship Program, where Mentee projects will be presented, judged, awarded, and celebrated with the larger design community. SPOT Showcase offers Mentees the ability to build a display to showcase and speak to the judges and the public about their work in a casual, face-to-face, convention-style tabling format. A keynote speaker is usually invited to address the graduates and attendees on entering the professional workforce and finding success in a design career.If you are curious about how this works, please check out the <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aigaorlando/albums/72177720333465376/" target="_blank">archived photos of our SPOT Showcase from last year.</a> Details about SPOT Showcase setup, space, time, and requirements will be addressed ahead of the event after the final Project due date. How much should I budget for production and display of my Project for SPOT Showcase?Your project's maximum budget is $300.Note: $300 is not provided by AIGA - It’s a guide for you to budget your money. If the 2027 Mentorship Program sounds appealing to you, then what are you waiting for?! Apply today! Remember, spots are limited.

AIGA Orlando

AIGA Orl | 2027 Mentorship Applications

Mentee (Students)

$30

Mentor (Professionals)

Free

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