Barbara Smith Women’s Mentoring Program

The purpose of the Barbara Smith Women's Mentoring Program (WMP) is to channel our diverse resources to promote the professional and personal goals of Carnegie Mellon women. To achieve these goals, we will establish career development opportunities, facilitate professional enrichment and advancement, and foster a supportive environment for women. 

The program is designed to facilitate supportive relationships by matching individual women staff who are willing to act as mentors with those who wish to be mentored. Mentor relationships are expected to center on professional interests and aspirations, including but not limited to career advancement, educational opportunities and job related issues. Since 1994 the project has matched over 300 women with mentors.

This program is named in honor of Barbara B. Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer at Carnegie Mellon for 22 years before retiring in 2011. Barbara began this program to provide professional mentoring opportunities for the women at Carnegie Mellon. WMP is currently sponsored by Human Resources and run by several "seasoned" mentors in the program.

Becoming Involved

Interested women should submit a Women's Mentoring Program Application each December.

Women who wish to be mentored are then matched with those volunteering to mentor others based on their experience and needs. Mentors are expected to schedule time with their mentee on a mutually agreeable schedule. Every effort is made to accommodate all interested individuals; however, this is a volunteer activity and sometimes the pool of mentors and those who wish to be mentored does not match, either by number or by area of expertise.

This program is intended to be completely voluntary, with no compensation tied to participation.

Please contact Pattye Stragar at pls@andrew.cmu.edu if you have any questions about this exciting and valuable program.