Finding a Mentor

This assignment measures Module Objective 6.2, which supports Course Competency 4.

Objectives

• 6.2 Draft a mentor outreach message that names a specific person or role, where you found them and a small request. (Course Competency 4)

Overview

A mentor is someone further along in their career who shares their experience. In creative fields a mentor can open doors, save you expensive mistakes and explain an industry from the inside.

5 points, Exercises. About 2 hours.

Instructions

1. Read How and Why You Want to Find a Great Design Mentor (Medium).
2. Consider people already in your life who could mentor you: a former supervisor, someone from an event, a family friend in the industry.
3. Research one professional community where mentors can be found, such as AIGA Arizona, Women in Animation, or a Discord community in your specialty.
4. In four to six sentences, name one person (or a specific role) you could contact, where you would find them, and why. Then draft the opening message, asking for a small commitment such as a 20-minute call.

Students Under 18

Students under 18 contact a possible mentor only through instructor-approved channels, such as the program Discord or an introduction from a faculty member, and a parent or guardian is informed before the first contact. Any video call includes the instructor or a parent or guardian. Your draft message is graded the same way whichever route you use.

Example

“I have followed your rigging breakdowns for a while. I am finishing a two-year animation program and want to understand the path from school to a studio role. Would you be open to a 20-minute video call in the next few weeks?” It asks for 20 minutes and a conversation, not a job.

Accessibility

Use descriptive link text for any link you include.

Submission

Write your answer and draft message in the Canvas text box.

Rubric (5 points)

Due