Skip to main content

Help Center

FAQs

2025 Student Mentoring Program FAQ

  • Why should I participate?

    The Student Mentoring Program offers design students a chance to gain insights into a career in the interior design community by shadowing a professional for a day. For design professionals, take advantage of this chance to give back to the design community. The IIDA Student Mentoring Program is an opportunity to inspire young upcoming designers and possibly make a connection for potential employment opportunities in the future.

  • Who Can/Should Participate

    Students actively enrolled in a design program or school and current design professionals, manufacturer representatives, dealers, and educators who want to elevate the education of interior design students through real-world experience.

    Mentors must be employed or active in the commercial interior design industry as a professional, manufacturers rep, educator, architect, or dealer.

  • Do I Have to be an IIDA Member to Participate?

    You do not have to be an IIDA member to participate as a mentor or a mentee, although it is encouraged.

    The Student Mentoring Program is free for all IIDA Student members, for non-members the program has a fee of $60 which also covers one year of membership in IIDA. Or: Join today!

  • How Are Participants Paired

    Participants will be matched based on their shared areas of interest and expertise. Mentees and mentors will also have the opportunity to give IIDA additional information to help with the pairing experience.

  • When is the IIDA Student Mentoring Program?

    The 2025 IIDA Student Mentoring Program will be a mix of in-person, hybrid, and virtual opportunities, based on the availability of participants in your area. IIDA will encourage all participants to meet virtually three times.

  • Does it cost money for students to participate?

    The Student Mentoring Program is free for all IIDA Student members, for non-members the program has a fee of $60 — interested in putting that fee towards membership and gaining a full year of opportunities? Learn more and join here.

  • Does it cost money for mentors to participate?

    No, but IIDA membership is encouraged.

  • Can you explain the mentoring process?

    The 2025 IIDA Student Mentoring Program will be in-person, hybrid, and virtual opportunities, based on the availability of participants in your area. Here is the guide that outlines what our expectations are for participants.

  • Can I request a specific student or mentor? Can I request multiple students or mentors?

    All pairings will be based on a first-come, first-serve process that will incorporate the student and mentor’s areas of interest and expertise. We do our best to incorporate all of your submitted information when pairing you with your student or mentor.

    Each student will be assigned one mentor. Design professionals can select the option to mentor multiple students if they are able.

  • When will I find out who my mentor or mentee is?

    Applicants will be notified of their student/mentor pairings in March.

  • What if I have to cancel?

    Please contact students@iida.org if you need to cancel your virtual mentoring experience.

  • I heard students could win $1,000. How?

    The Wilsonart Student Education Fund, part of the IIDA Foundation, is proud to offer a $1,000 prize to the winner of the Wilsonart Essay Competition. Only students participating in the Student Mentoring Program are eligible to enter by submitting an original essay reflecting on their mentoring experience. Read more here.

Didn’t find what you were looking for?

If you can’t find an answer to your question in our Help Center, you can always contact us directly.