Mentor-for-A-Day

Fast Facts About Mentor for a Day

by Krista Sassaman

Since 2011, DMAW/EF’s Mentor for a Day program has connected companies in direct response to marketing students who are curious about our industry. Every year, leading marketing companies throughout the Washington, DC, area partner with DMAW/EF to introduce qualified students to a “day in the life of integrated marketing.”

Think your company might be interested? Here are a few fast facts to help answer questions (and hopefully, move your firm to sign up as an MFAD partner company)!

  • Who are the student participants? Have they even heard of what we do? MFAD Students are well qualified because they are nominated by marketing professors from a range of local universities and matched with companies based on shared interest.
  • Will this be a lot of work for the company; we’re all so busy! Companies are guided by DMAW/EF volunteers to help create a simple agenda for the day. Most students are in the office for the morning, have lunch with a few team members, and wrap up in the afternoon.
  • What’s in it for us? Finding strong candidates for internships and entry-level positions can be challenging. The MFAD program can help create a pipeline of potential staff.
  • Who else is doing it? Many of the leading companies in direct response regularly participate in MFAD. Says Chip Heartfield, Chief Operating Officer, PMG Direct, “We almost never hire right out of school; the PMG philosophy is to hire very experienced DM veterans. But this program gave us a chance to get to know these ‘youngsters’ before hiring them—kind of like a test drive—so it worked for us!”

“The world of direct marketing is not always for everyone. It requires adaptability in a fast-paced, client-driven environment and, above all, an interest and passion for the work that you’re doing. The Mentor For A Day program helps in identifying a pool of students who can be prime for recruitment.”
— Maryann Chan, Chapman Cubine + Hussey

For more information about Mentor for a Day, contact DMAW/EF Board Member Krista Sassaman (kristasassaman@gmailcom)

Interested in signing up? Visit the Mentor-for-a-Day website link at dmawef.org to access the Mentor for a Day Employer Application.

Krista Sassaman has over 20 years of experience in serving the nonprofit community as both a fundraising consultant and a front-line fundraiser. As a consulting partner, she champions integrated fundraising across all media channels, donor engagement and stewardship, and client-centered service. Krista’s clients represent all nonprofit sectors, including national museums, art and cultural attractions, environmental causes, advocacy groups, health and social service organizations.