Think you have nothing in common with a teenager wearing low-riding jeans, sporting a nose ring and listening to Pink? (That's a singer, for all you old-timers out there.) Printing can link the generations, and you can help groom future distributors by participating in a student mentoring program.
Louise Fiore can attest to the value of such programs--for both the students and the companies involved. "The benefits are tremendous," says Fiore, director of marketing at Vanguard Direct, a $27.2 million distributorship headquartered in New York City.
Fiore became a student mentor five years ago through the New York chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), a professional organization for graphic designers. She was paired with 10th-grader Jessica Portilla. Fiore met with her for two hours every two weeks. The activities varied, but were designed to expose the student to the printing profession. "As students, these kids don't get to see what it's like in the real work world," Fiore says. "[Through the program], they get to come into an office, see a designer's desk and learn responsibilities."
Portilla was interested in photography. One Saturday, she and Fiore headed to Greenwich Village with their cameras and spent a couple hours taking photos. At their next meeting, Fiore introduced Portilla to a photographer friend of hers. The photographer helped them develop the film and create prints. Fiore also enlisted the help of other Vanguard Direct employees to guide Portilla. For example, during the student's senior year, Fiore helped her research college options, and the distributorship's CFO helped her fill out financial aid forms.
As part of the mentoring program, which is run through the New York City Department of Education, students also work on group projects. Last year, they created recruitment posters and post cards for this year's mentoring program. AIGA began a partnership with Adobe during the 2002-03 school year. As part of the partnership, Adobe donated laptop computers and its InDesign® software to students and mentors. With help from their mentors, students designed the post cards and posters using the software, and the pieces were featured on Adobe's web site. "Students learned how to take their artwork from concept through design production to a printable digital file and then a final printed piece," Fiore says. In June, AIGA exhibited the students' work at its headquarters.
Fiore mentored Portilla throughout her high-school days. Portilla is now a junior at SUNY Binghamton, and she remains in contact with her mentor. Although Fiore hasn't "adopted" another student, she served as co-coordinator of AIGA's mentoring program through September. She recruited mentors, who are paired with students based on information from extensive questionnaires. AIGA and the New York City Department of Education bring together approximately 100 printing professionals and students each year. "It's a big commitment, and you have to be committed to do it well," says Fiore, who currently acts as an advisor to new mentoring program coordinators.
Fiore admits she initially became a mentor for self-serving reasons. "I wanted to meet more designers and AIGA peers. I definitely did that," she says. "But it's amazing the gratification you get seeing someone grow over three years." She hopes to mentor another student in the future.
Printing pros who would like to mentor students can contact the National Mentoring Partnership (www.mentoring.org), Mentoring USA (www.mentoringusa.org) or local education boards, Fiore says.
--Susan Keen Flynn
Louise Fiore (left), director of marketing at Vanguard Direct, a distributorship headquartered in New York City, became a student mentor five years ago through the New York chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. She was paired with 10th-grader Jessica Portilla, who's now a junior at SUNY Binghamton.
