Student Mentoring Program

2025 Applications are now Open! Peek Inside the Experience

The IIDA Student Mentoring Program is one of the most dynamic mentoring programs in the interior design industry. Every year, IIDA pairs more than 500 students across the U.S. with mentors that work in the interior design industry as designers, manufacturer representatives, dealers, educators, and more, to take students out of the classroom and into the real world of interior design.

It offers IIDA Student members a chance to gain and share insight 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 emerging designers and possibly make a connection for potential employment opportunities in the future.

Registration opens: December 1, 2024
Registration closes: February 12, 2025
Matching email sent: March 3, 2025
Program Kickoff Webinar: March 3, 2025

Why Participate?

IIDA Student members should take advantage of one of our most popular member programs that offers the benefit of connecting with professionals working in the industry today.

Participation in the IIDA Student Mentoring Program can provide you with real life experiences, tools, connections, and advice for entering the workforce—in addition you will qualify to submit an essay of your experiences for a chance to win $1,000 through the Wilsonart Essay Competition.

For design professionals, the program provides an opportunity to nurture emerging talent, share resources, and be a part of changing and growing our design community. Read about Zane Land, Ind. IIDA shared her experiences as a mentor, and the importance of mentoring emerging designers, read here.

"Throughout the years, the IIDA Student Mentoring Program has provided me with amazing opportunities to connect with multiple well-established firms and highly experienced professionals, to understand the day-to-day task of a designer, and ask questions on an open platform. As a result of this program, I have broadened my horizons and my design ideas are no longer limited only to what I’ve learned in class. It’s served as a stepping stone in my career that has led to three internships and multiple awards."

Jen Khor, Student IIDA

Who is eligible?

Students must be current IIDA Student members to register and participate in the Student Mentoring Program. Renew or join today!

2020 Wilsonart Essay winner Yvonne Yip, Student IIDA with mentor Lorraine Rowan, NCIDQ. Image courtesy of Yvonne Yip

How does it work?

The Student Mentoring Program offers an in-person, virtual, or a hybrid experience based on the preferences and abilities of participants. 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.

Resources

You can download a copy of the 2024 Student Mentoring Program Guidelines
Visit the Student Mentoring Program FAQ
2023 Kick-Off Webinar:

The IIDA Student Mentoring Session is Now Over, What Comes Next:

For questions or more information, contact Melissa Cook, Student Engagement Manager at mcook@iida.org

"Mentoring young people and seeing their individual growth and helping them find the significance in the work we all do is extremely rewarding. It gives purpose to why we do what we do." -Ana Pinto Alexander, IIDA, Director of Health Interiors and Principal, HKS

2025 Applications are now Open!