Everything you need to make the most of your 12-month mentorship experience at Grace and Wisdom Institute.
The first full Monday–Friday of every month is Contact Week. This is your dedicated window to connect with your mentor. Reach out, schedule your meeting, and show up.
Every other month, all mentee-mentor pairs join a 90-minute virtual session (6:00–7:30 PM PT). These sessions include breakouts with your pair and full-group discussion. Attendance is required.
Each month GAWI provides a suggested activity or theme — a starting point for your pair's conversation. Use it, build on it, or go deeper. It's not a script.
At the end of each Contact Week, you'll complete a brief feedback form. This is required. It tells GAWI how you're doing and helps us support your pair better.
Read this before orientation. Bring one goal you want to accomplish in this program, and one question about how the mentorship works. You'll use both during the live session.
You initiate every meeting. Your mentor is your guide — not your scheduler. Every Contact Week, you reach out first. You propose the time, you set the agenda, you send the follow-up. This is non-negotiable.
Contact Week is not optional. If you miss a Contact Week without communicating, that's a missed month. Two missed months without communication may result in removal from the program.
Group Zoom attendance is required. These sessions happen every other month. Notify GAWI in advance if you have a genuine conflict. Repeated absences affect your standing in the program.
Feedback forms must be submitted. The monthly form is how GAWI tracks your progress. Submitting it is part of your commitment to the program.
Respect your mentor's time. Confirm meetings 24 hours in advance. If you need to reschedule, give as much notice as possible. Cancel last-minute only in a real emergency — and always communicate.
Come prepared. Every meeting should have a purpose. Know what you want to discuss, what you need feedback on, and what progress you've made since the last conversation.
"Most people wait to be led. In this program, you practice leading — because that's what the real world requires." The mentee who gets the most out of this program is not the most talented one. It's the most intentional one.
Use a professional email address when communicating with your mentor. Not a nickname or a handle from middle school — your name.
Start with a greeting. "Hi [Name]," is perfectly professional. "Hey," alone is not. "Dear," is fine but can feel formal — use your judgment.
Be clear about the purpose of your message in the first sentence. Don't bury the reason you're writing.
End with a clear next step or ask. "Would any of these times work for you?" is better than "Let me know."
Sign your name at the end of every email. Every time. It's a habit worth building.
Response time matters. Aim to reply to your mentor within 24–48 hours. If life gets busy, a quick "I saw this and will get back to you by [day]" is always better than going silent.