CPA Student Mentorship Program
Brought to you by the CPA Section for Students in Psychology
The CPA Student Mentorship Program offers Student Affiliates the opportunity to engage in peer-mentorship relationships with fellow students. The primary purpose of this program is to facilitate the exchange of information and the sharing of personal and professional experiences amongst CPA Student Affiliate Members with varying levels of education across Canada. Student mentors have the opportunity to develop and sharpen their mentoring skills, which can be extended to various professional domains. Mentees will have the unique opportunity to expand their knowledge of the various subject areas in psychology, develop their communication skills, and receive guidance around their personal, academic, and professional decisions.
Some examples of the benefits of peer mentorship include:
- Acquiring area-specific information in psychology (e.g., Clinical vs. Counselling Psychology, etc.)
- Learning about the importance of research and knowledge dissemination
- Gaining insights on graduate school admissions and application processes
- Obtaining guidance on funding and scholarship information
- Gaining professional and leadership experience
- Increasing networking opportunities
- Gaining perspectives on career opportunities outside of psychology
- Receiving emotional support, friendship and personal feedback
How Does the Mentorship Program Work
- You must be a CPA Student Affiliate in order to participate in the program. Note: CPA Student Section membership is included free of charge with your CPA Student Affiliate membership.
- Prospective mentees (undergraduate students) and mentors (graduate students/post-doc) should complete their respective applications (apply to be either a mentor or mentee) and e-mail it to the Program Coordinator to become paired up in a peer mentorship relationship. The application forms and instructions can be found below. Please note that this year, the number of selected applicants is limited as we are looking for mentors and mentees who are motivated and deeply want to get involved.
- Next, the Program Coordinator will review applications and match mentees with mentors through a connecting e-mail.
- Mentors and mentees will then receive a short training manual which will help guide the mentoring process and relationship. Mentors and mentees will also be expected to attend a 1 hour Zoom training and networking session at the beginning of the program. The specifics of peer mentoring are then up to each pair to decide on what works best in that mentorship relationship. Mentoring interaction may occur in person, over the phone, by e-mail, on Zoom, or through any other modes of communication that are mutually convenient for students.
The design of this program is meant to be simple and straightforward, allowing the process to be individually tailored to the specific needs and concerns of the mentorship pair. The program is designed to run throughout the Fall and Winter academic terms; mentors and mentees will be matched in September and will be paired until the end of the academic year in April. Mentees and Mentors will also be asked to evaluate their progress in the program on two occasions: midway (December/January) and following completion of the program (April/May). Both mentors and mentees may also choose to record the details of the mentorship meetings and interactions in a Mentorship Log.
For French-Speaking Students: We are happy to announce that all program materials (application forms, manuals, logs) are now available in French. Please note that applications may be submitted in French. We will also do our best to pair French-speaking students together to facilitate access to this program for both English and French-speaking students.
Existing Student Affiliate – f you are an existing CPA Student Affiliate and wish to join the program, you can find the application below. You will need your ID number, which you can find when you log into your profile here – https://secure.cpa.ca/apps/Membership?returnUrl=/apps/ages/my-profile.
New To the CPA – if you are looking to join the program and have never been a CPA Member, Affiliate or Associate in the past –
- You can Join the CPA anytime from January to August, the cost to join is $75 (and your membership will run from when you have signed up until December).
- If you are joining in September, the cost is $25, and you can participate in the program until December. If you wish to participate in the Mentorship Program the following year, you will need to renew at the standard $75 Student Affiliate yearly fee.
If you are new to the CPA and looking to sign-up to the program in September, please contact the Program Coordinator, Alzena Ilie at chairelect.cpastudentsection@gmail.com
Alzena will also be happy to answer any other Mentorship Program questions.
We look forward to having you be part of the program!
Applications – Now Open
Applications for the September 2024 – May 2025 are now open. The deadline to submit your application materials on the online application form will be Sunday, September 15th, 2024.
Mentor Application Forms (2024-25):
English Mentor Application Form
French Mentee Application Form
Mentee Application Forms (2024-25):
English Mentee Application Form
French Mentee Application Form
A Message from the Program Coordinator
Alzena Ilie (Program Coordinator, 2024-2025)
Hello everyone! Thank you for your interest in the CPA Student Mentorship Program. I am thrilled to be coordinating the program for the 2024-25 school year, and I am looking forward to meeting you all! Having previously participated in the CPA Mentorship Program as a mentor, I thoroughly enjoyed working with mentees, helping them navigate the graduate school application process, and exploring potential career paths. My goal is to match like-minded mentors and mentees who can share advice, experiences, and goals related to psychology and graduate school.
Mentorship is a vital aspect of psychology. It provides guidance and support, aids in professional development, offers insights into research opportunities, skill development, and career advancement, and serves as a fantastic networking opportunity. For mentors, it’s an excellent way to build leadership, supervisory, and communication skills by sharing your personal and professional experiences with mentees. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!
Kindly,
Alzena Ilie
August 2024
A Message from the Program Founder
Zarina Giannone (Founder & Program Developer)
There have been a few moments throughout my educational history when I felt that I could have benefitted from the support and guidance of a mentor. Like many other students, I learned by trial and error for most of my undergraduate degree. It was not until my recent experiences in graduate school when I felt the true power of mentoring. To this day, I cherish the gift of mentorship that I have received from current and previous mentors.
Mentoring, for me, was the solution that I had I hoped for but did not seek out initially. I did not know where to start or who to ask. My personal experience and the narratives gathered from colleagues and friends who told tales of confusion, ambivalence, and disorientation, while pursuing their undergraduate education, have served as the inspiration for this program.
I hope that you all are able to connect with someone who makes a difference in your life (this includes both mentors and mentees). I know I did.
Kindly,
Zarina Giannone
July 2015
Past Program Coordinators
2023 – 2024 Anisa Nasseri
2022 – 2023 Melissa Lazo
2021 – 2022 Linnea Kalchos
2020 – 2021 Alejandra Botia
2019 – 2020 Joanna Collaton
2018 – 2019 Alexandra Richard
2017 – 2018 Chelsea Moran
2016 – 2017 Jean-Philippe Gagné
2015 – 2016 Zarina Giannone