Oklahoma Museums Association Conference Connection Mentor Program – Maximize the positive benefits of the OMA conference experience.
The Oklahoma Museums Association Conference Connection Mentor Program pairs new conference attendees with experienced OMA conference attendees.
Mentor/Mentee Expectations:
1.Mentors and mentees contact each other by email prior to the conference and tell the other a little about themselves. Either the mentor or the mentee can initiate the email exchange.
2.Agree on a place and time to meet in person early in the conference. We suggest that mentors and mentees arrange to meet in the registration area and proceed to the continental breakfast on Thursday, September 19 (8:00am – 9:00am). We also suggest arranging a second meeting place and time during the conference. For example, making specific plans to meet over coffee, lunch, or the break between sessions is a good idea. Sometimes it is difficult to find people in the rush and flux of the conference.
3.Mentors will share reflections on their experiences at the OMA conference and try to introduce mentees to other museum professionals. The point is to develop ideas and strategies for absorbing the full benefits of attending a conference. Mentors might give the following advice:
-What sessions on the program look particularly good this year, and which ones may be relevant to my professional interests?
-Who should I try to meet before the end of the conference?
-Is there a strategy to visiting the exhibit hall or making the rounds at the reception?
-How do you follow-up and use the annual conference (or any conference in general) as a source of professional development, new projects, or new ideas?
5.It is appropriate for mentees to prepare a few questions in advance for their mentor about areas of interest and networking.
6.Some mentors and mentees stay in contact after the conference, but this is not an expectation. Each year, the mentoring program is focused on the annual conference with which it is associated
Please note that our ability to place mentors and mentees may be limited, depending on the number of requests; some applicants may be put on a waiting list. Requests and questions may be sent to Cathy Thomas, cthomas@okhistory.org.