Mentorships


USGBC Board members support undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds in pursuing studies and careers in fields related to sustainability by offering their mentees professional advice, networking opportunities and career building experiences.


Apply to the right of this page to be considered for a mentorship opportunity. Applicants must be enrolled at least part-time at a college or university by Fall semester 2012. Mentorships will run from late August 2012 – May 2013. Deadline to apply for a mentorship opportunity is June 22, 2012.


Students involved in mentorships benefit from the following:


  1. One-on-one meetings with USGBC Board Members to prepare for a professional career in sustainability. The preparation will be customized to meet the needs of each individual applicant and might include a review of the student’s academic work and discussions about their professional aspirations, as well as assistance with developing resumes and portfolio collateral.
  2. Access to meet with Board Members’ colleagues in their own companies and in other organizations and professional settings.
  3. Updates and strategies for potential internship and/or job shadowing opportunities through Board Members.
  4. Updates on local USGBC events and other opportunities to engage with the USGBC network in their local communities.
  5. Possible opportunities to engage in green building projects or sustainability initiatives on their campuses or in their communities with support from USGBC and Board Members.
  6. Support in receiving LEED accreditation and other training and educational opportunities through USGBC and Board Members.

The application for 2012-2012 mentorship opportunities is currently closed. We will be in contact with all applicants in the coming weeks. Please check back for program updates.


Mentorship opportunities made possible by:

AECOM logo

Calmac logo

Carrier logo


Testimonials from the 2010-2011 programs
A student's perspective:
"Participating in USGBC’s Diversity Mentoring Initiative has been an invaluable resource to me. Not only has my mentor, Carlton Brown, given me insight to the far reaching implications of design decisions, but he also seemed to never hold back on connecting me to the right resources to further me in my career, whether it be knowledge based on his experience in sustainable construction, or established people in academia to assist me in graduate school options, or influential people working in industry. The caliber of people I have met and the opportunities ahead of me have grown exponentially because of this mentoring program. Doors are wide open."
LaKisha T David
North Carolina A&T State University
A board member's perspective:
“I have enjoyed meeting with my mentee, Julian Gonsalves, a student at Stanford, and learning about his studies as well as connecting him with other professionals in the SF Bay Area. Due to an air transportation competition Julian was involved in, I found I could connect him with other professionals involved in the SF Airport (SFO) renovation of Terminal 2, as well as other colleagues within my own firm to assist with broadening Julian’s awareness of sustainability in the context of transportation facilities and general sustainability. Continuing the conversation with other professionals for Julian involved in sustainable design remains a goal for me that I know will benefit both of us, both personally and professionally.”
Jean Hansen
HDR Architecture, Inc.