By: Rhonda Giedt (Omega Xi – Cincinnati)  

Kappa Delta membership is for life. That’s a great perk, but what are the tangible benefits for you? So many! But one in particular is being able to leverage the vast Kappa Delta network through our Mentoring Program. 

The Mentoring Program matches two sisters together based on (prospective or current) industry or skill sets to help foster networking. With more than 290,000 empowered women in KD, building a strong network to assist you in advancing in the workplace, boardroom or life in general has never been easier! 

According to Forbes, only 37 percent of people have a professional mentor even though more than twice that think it’s important! Studies also show people who have a mentor are happier in their jobs. In fact, according to opens in a new windowmentorcliQ, 84 percent of US Fortune 500 companies have a mentoring program, because they have found 90 percent of participants are happier in their job and have a 50percent higher retention rate.  

Other than the obvious benefits of mentorship, why should you sign up to be a Kappa Delta mentor or mentee? Here are three great reasons! 

Why be a mentee? 

1. You’ll already have something important in common … and shared experience as a KD and a sister-to-sister connection. You’ll know the value your sorority experience brings to the table. 
2. Mentors have different levels of experience to give insight into a variety of subjects. 
3. Your conversations will be great for learning more about an industry, how someone reached the level they did, changing careers, and more.

Why be a mentor? 

1. Giving back and sharing your knowledge of your industry, leadership skills, and more simply feels great and adds value to your life. 
2. You and the mentee determine the timing and how often you connect. Sometimes a mentee just needs one conversation, whereas other times it may be a once-a-quarter conversation. It’s up to the two of you to set the frequency. 
3. You’re more qualified than you think. You don’t have to be an expert on all things to listen and give advice to a mentee. You pick what areas you want to mentor on. 

Being part of the Mentoring Program has helped sisters navigate their career, negotiate for raises and promotions, and even find a new path. Here is what one sister, Donna Mabry, who is part of the program, said about being involved.  

Donna Mabry, Alpha Epsilon – Tennessee, signed up to be a mentee as well as a mentor. She volunteered because, in her words, “I’ve been very fortunate to have a few mentors and coaches that really made the difference for me. The impact has more value than anyone can imagine, and I wanted to share that experience with others.”  

However, what surprised her was how collaborative the relationship was between each person. She says, “I was truly blown away by how me and my mentor support each other. We’ve served as both mentor and mentee in our meetings. It really depended on who brought what topics. I’m also amazed by how my mentees simply need to talk about what’s going on in their lives. The time to vent, bounce ideas or just chat about life is so beneficial.” 

Volunteering is always fulfilling, and it is intrinsic to Kappa Delta’s values. As Joy McVey Hugick, Delta Eta – South Florida, says “Serving as a mentor in the Kappa Delta Mentoring Program has brought me a different kind of fulfillment. I often mentor collegiate women and new alumnae as a result of serving as a chapter advisor, but having the chance to mentor a sister who is a few years deep into her career has offered different ways to serve. I don’t think I anticipated being able to support the woman I’m mentoring when she received a new job by helping her understand what a 401k match is and how it’s wise to contribute enough to maximize the company match.” 

If you have not already, join the opens in a new windowKappa Delta Network private group on LinkedIn. There are lots of great articles about mentoring, career growth, job postings, and more. If you want to join the Mentoring Program as a mentor or mentee, please fill out the form on the Kappa Delta Network page.