Manager-Mentor Program

Feinberg's Manager-Mentor Program provides opportunities for managers to develop their skills, and build strong relationships within the Feinberg community. It is expected that the mentee will lead and drive engagement and participation with the assigned mentor. Meaningful and successful participation in the Manager Mentor Program depends on full engagement, initiative, and commitment to the program.

Participant Resources

Find resources to help successfully guide you through the Manager Mentor Program. NetID required for access.

Program Details

2026 Program Events and Timeline

Program Events

Calendar invite will be sent to all participants

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 | 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.

Location:Baldwin Auditorium

January Event - Taming Your Dragon Workshop with Professor Joseph Holtgreive

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2026 | 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.

Location: Lurie Gray Seminar

February Event - Communication Workshop with Professor Beth Bennett

Wednesday, Feb 28,2026 | 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.

Location: Lurie Gray Seminar

March Event - Leadership Organization Workshop with Professor Mindy Douthit

Wednesday, March 4, 2025 | 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.

Location: Lurie Ryan Family Atrium

April Event - Performance Management for All Managers

[TBD] | TIME

Location: Lurie Gray Seminar

May Event - Themed Event

June Event - Cohort Wrap Up Celebration Event

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 | 3:30 to 5:00 PM

Location: Lurie Ryan Family Atrium

Application Timeline

Application Open | October 1, 2025

Application Close | October 31, 2025

Acceptance Communication | November 19, 2025

Match Communication | December, 2025

Mentee Orientation

All accepted participants of the 2026 Manager Mentor Program Cohort are required to attend the Mentee Orientation. This mandatory session provides an overview of the program, expectations, and resources to support your success.

Mentoring Program

How long is the mentoring program year?

The 2026 program officially begins mid January 2026, and the length of the program will be for six - months. However, we hope mentoring relationships carry on past our programming events.

Do I need to attend all of the programming events with my mentor or mentee?

It is not required that you attend the mentoring events as a pair; However, you are required to attend all MMP events as aprogram participant. These events are typically held in-person; participants will be notified if a virtual format is applicable.

Do I have to set up goals with my mentee?

While goal setting is an important part of mentoring, it is not required. Keep in mind that goal setting has many different forms. You can set career goals, professional development goals, or mentoring relationship goals. Make sure you discuss your plans for goal setting early in your mentoring experience.

How often do I have to meet with my mentee? What is the time commitment for this program?

As a mentor you can set periodic meetings, phone calls and/or emails with your mentee. It is recommended that you attend the quarterly mentoring events so that you can build upon your mentoring relationship, however it is up to both the availability of the mentor and mentee to decide what works best.

What happens if my mentoring relationship does not work? Can I get a new mentee?

At this time, we are only able to provide one mentor per mentee each cycle. However, the Mentoring Committee co-chairs and members are available to assist if you run into any issues. Please reach out to us at any time with questions. If your match does not work out, we recommend reapplying for the next cycle to be paired with a new mentor.

What if I have a conflict of interest with the mentee? Who do I contact?

Please contact feinbergstaffengagement@northwestern.edu.

Mentoring Expectation

Mentee Expectation

Mentor Expectation

To be a mentee, you should:

Have at least one direct report
Be in good standing with the university with a performance rating of "achieving" or higher, and
Have approval of your immediate supervisor

Mentees are expected to:

Attend mentee orientation offered in November
Initiate/schedule at least monthly meetings with mentor
Define area of interest and goals to discuss with mentor
Request and respect mentor's communication preferences and expectations
Prepare questions, agenda topics to discuss with mentor
Provide areas of interest or goals to mentor
Review MMP toolkit and resources on website
Attend MMP events (listed under "Schedule" on website)
Complete a mentee evaluation survey at the end of the program
Adhere to Northwestern University Values and Behaviors and Standards for Business Conduct.

To be a mentor, you must:

Have at least one direct report
Be in good standing with the university with a performance rating of"achieving" or higher
Serve in an EXS 6 level or higher, and
Have more than one year of experience as a Northwestern employee with two or more years experience in your field.

Mentors are expected to:

Attend at least monthly meetings with mentee
Review MMP toolkit and resources on website
Attend MMP events (listed under “Schedule” on website)
Complete a mentor evaluation survey at the end of the program
Adhere to Northwestern University Values and Behaviors and Standards for Business Conduct.
Set communication expectations and preferences
- Commit to responding to mentee within 48 hours
- Alow mentee to define areas of interest and/or goals
Provide guidance and mentorship support in alignment with Mentee's goals (see Mentee's application)

Mentee FAQ and Mentor FAQ

Mentee FAQ

Mentor FAQ

When does the program start accepting applications? When is the deadline to apply?

Applications for the January 2026 cohort will open October 2025. Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2025. Participants will be notified by Friday, November 19, 2025 of their acceptance.

How are mentors and mentees matched?

Matches are made by the Mentoring Committee based on mentee preferences, the experience of mentors, and the areas of interest for all applicants.

Will all mentees be paired with a mentor?

Each cohort will depend on the number of mentee applications received and the availability of the mentors. There is a possibility that not all mentees will be paired with a mentor in any given application cycle.

Can mentees have more than one mentor?

No, the program is set up to be a one-to-one matching process.

When does the program start accepting applications? When is the deadline to apply?

How are mentors and mentees matched?

Matches are made by the Mentoring Committee based on mentee preferences, the experience of mentors, and the areas of interest for all applicants.

Will all mentors be paired with a mentee?

Depending on the number of mentee applications received and the availability of the mentors there is a possibility that not all mentors will be paired with a mentee in an application cycle.

Can mentors have more than one mentee?

No, the program is set up to be a one to one matching process.

Meet The Committee

Chrissy M. Kelly Toman
Herra Iqbal
Jen Zhou
Johnathan Okstad
Juleen Morford
Keisha Simpson Goah
Kena Bilbrew
Kevin J. Connolly
Remi Rebecca Love

Participant's Journey Narratives

Explore the journeys of our participants as they share their unique experiences throughout the program. Each narrative offers a glimpse into the transformative impact of our program initiatives, showcasing the diverse paths that lead to growth, development, and success.