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The Washington Statistical Society 2023–2024 Mentoring Program

We are excited to announce that the mentoring programs of the Washington Statistical Society (WSS) and the Government Statistics Section (GSS) of the American Statistical Association, and the FDA Statistical Association are joining this year! We are currently looking for mentors for the 2023–2024 term. Sign-up for mentees will start in late October 2022.

By meeting others in our profession, we can quickly learn the ropes, advance our careers, and contribute to the statistical profession. To facilitate engagement and to encourage the transfer of valuable experience between WSS/GSS/FDASA members, the WSS started a mentoring program in 2015. (The program is also open to nonmembers, but they would eventually become WSS members through this program.) Membership offers many benefits beyond participating in the mentoring program. Matching mentors and mentees offers a great opportunity for mentees to develop as statisticians, mentors to give back to newer members of our profession, and for everyone to stay connected to the WSS.

What are the benefits of a mentoring program?

The WSS Mentorship Initiative was inspired by and draws on the mentoring initiative underway throughout ASA that encourages chapters and sections to consider mentoring programs ( "President's Corner", AMSTAT News, February 2015). It also suggests the initiation of a regular acknowledgment, such as the annual selection, of an outstanding mentor. The WSS is a leader in this regard having co-sponsored the Jeanne Griffith Award more than a decade ago. The potential benefits of participating in the program are described well by the ASA Committee on Applied Statisticians:

For mentors: (1) a connection with skills and perspectives of recently trained professionals, (2) development and enhancement of communication and leadership skills, and (3) satisfaction of passing on skills and knowledge that can enhance the career and personal growth of the mentee and contribute to the maturity of the profession. The program may answer important questions including: How do you identify and introduce opportunity to others? How do you describe your own experiences to others to encourage them to take more strategic risks? How do you teach others to network effectively? Mentors usually get more from their relationships by learning something along the way about the new challenges of their mentees.

For mentees: 1) a role model, but more accurately a sounding board, for questions about methods of analysis and communication of results, 2) a source of perspective, encouragement, and motivation leading to greater self-confidence and esteem. Help in establishing professional development plans, career goals and acceleration of their achievement; and 3) a source of professional/social contacts with other applied statisticians in the field - "plugs you into the power network". The mentoring program may answer important questions including: How do you create opportunities for yourself? How do you promote yourself? How do you network with others? How did you get to where you want to be?

For more information, go to our program announcement and the Committee on Applied Statisticians Microsite. You will need to log in to the ASA Community.

How does the WSS Mentoring Program work?

If you are interested in being a mentor or mentee, first complete a simple application form (below). The information will be used to match a mentor to a mentee, taking into account their stage of career, area of statistical expertise, and goals for mentoring.

If you are interested, but have questions about the program, contact one of the committee members:

Please fill out the participant form to join the Mentor Program