IDSA Chicago - Features

IDSA Chicago is pleased to announce its all-new initiative to help bridge the ever-widening gap between students and design professionals. This program, One-on-One, is aimed at helping local design students by allowing them the opportunity to interact with design professionals on a peer mentoring level. The program also gives professionals the unique opportunity to give something back, and help engage all ages and levels of Industrial Designers within our vibrant community.

Involved Schools
The new IDSA Chicago mentor program is primarily designed to provide mentorship to local design schools University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Columbia College, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and IIT Institute of Design (ID). However, students from nearby schools have also been invited to take part, including the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Southern Illinois University (SIU), Purdue University and Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD).

Mentor List
The current list of participating mentors is available for download here. Check back often, the list is growing and updated regularly. Mentor List with Contact Info (pdf)

1 on 1 Kick-Off Event: Recap
IDSA Chicago held the Kick-off-Event on October 13th at TEAMS Design. Thanks to everyone who helped make it such a great success. It allowed students to get up-close and personal with designers working in various fields, and allow local professionals to share their experiences as they tried to break into the big leagues.

How do I get involved? (Frequently Asked Questions):

I couldn’t make the Kick-off event but would like to find a mentor. How do I begin?
1. Download the latest Mentor List here. This list is growing, so check back often.
2. Review the list, and select a mentor who you think you might like to work with.
3. Contact that professional via email: Ask them if they are available to mentor, then set up your first meeting.
4. If the first person you contacted is unavailable, don’t give up. Just try someone else. I just heard about the program and want to get involved.

How can I become a Mentor?
Just send an email to mentor@idsachicago.org with your contact info and a few sentences that describe your experience and level of participation as a mentor (for example, accommodating visits to your office, offering ongoing project critique, etc). We will contact you to follow up, and add you to the current Mentor List.

I met a professional at the Kick-Off event, but they are already mentoring another student.
What should I do next?
1. Don’t give up. There are lots of great, enthusiastic mentors available. Just download the current mentor list and email another professional who interests you.
2. Still no luck? Drop us an email at mentor@idsachicago.org, and we’ll see if we can use our matchmaking skills to help you find someone.

I met with some students at the Kick-Off event, but no one has contacted me yet. I’m really looking forward to mentoring. What should I do next?
1. If you exchanged info with a student at the event, try sending a follow up email. Some students are timid when it comes to contacting professionals.
2. Drop us an email at mentor@idsachicago.org, and we’ll see if we can use our matchmaking skills to help find you someone.

Thanks to all contributors for supporting the Chicago design community.