Before you begin your application, please carefully read the roles and responsibilities of a CEE Mentor below. If selected as a CEE Mentor, you will need to engage in the following activities. 

1. Required Introductory Call – All selected Mentors will have a required introductory call with IREX and Combs and Company on October 30th. 

2. Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) – Mentors will be required to complete and review Pre-Departure Orientation materials prior to arriving in the U.S. PDO materials are housed on Canvas, a virtual learning platform. We anticipate Mentors committing 1-2 hours each month (December - March 2025) to PDO engagement. Mentors will be invited to both Mentor and Fellow PDO courses. Mentors are invited to follow along with Fellows’ PDO progress and provide insights via discussion boards and group discussions.   

• Kick-Off Event – Mentors are required to participate in a Mentor Kick-off online event, hosted by IREX and Combs and Company on December 11th. Mentors will meet other members of their Mentor cohort, connect with IREX, and learn more about the role of being a CEE Specialist. 
• Email Introduction with Mentees – Mentors are expected to reach out individually to introduce yourself to your Mentees, January 7th and connect with them prior to arriving in the U.S.   
• Virtual Live Session Engagement – Mentors will also be required to participate in two virtual live sessions leading up to your departure to the U.S. Mentors must communicate to the IREX team ahead of time if they plan to miss a session. Attendance at these sessions is critical for your engagement and to prepare you for the role and responsibilities as a CEE Specialist.   
• Coach Check-In Call – Mentors will be assigned a professional leadership coach who will support your experience as a mentor and promote your own leadership development journey. Mentors will conduct one virtual 30-minute check-in call with your assigned Leadership Coach prior to traveling to the U.S. Get to know one another, set expectations, and prepare for the Practicum period.  

3. Attend MDT and Welcome Orientation – Attend the three-day in-person Mentor Development Training and three-day Welcome Orientation March 7-14, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. (Note: with IREX and U.S. embassy assistance, you must secure a J-1 visa to attend in-person CEE events.)  

• Contribute to Sessions – Mentors will have the opportunity to help facilitate and contribute to sessions throughout the week.   
• Prepare Fellows – Mentors will meet with their group of mentees throughout the week, providing advice, perspective, and support for Fellows to make the most out of their U.S. Practicum experience.  

4. Leadership and Civic Engagement Academy (The Academy) and U.S. Practicum – Meet with each of your mentees once a month (three times total) in March-June, 2025 to support a productive fellowship and CEP development process.  

• Live Session Attendance – Attend five live Academy sessions hosted on Fridays at 10:30am -12:30pm Eastern Standard Time. You will facilitate specialist-based breakout discussions during these required sessions.  
• Facilitate Virtual Sessions (Optional) – Specialists will be invited to provide input and develop Townhall virtual sessions for either Specialist or Fellow audiences that will be conducted during Fellow Practicums. Specialists may choose to lead virtual sessions focused on different areas of expertise, civil society focus, or skill-development. Sessions may cater to Specialists or Fellows. This is an optional opportunity for Specialists. More information will be included in PDO. 
• Coach Meetings – Conduct three virtual 30-minute check-in calls with your assigned Leadership Coach to review progress, challenges, and learnings over the practicum period. One meeting will occur prior to traveling to Chicago, two should occur throughout the practicum, and the final call should occur following End of Program Workshop.
• Written Reflection – Integrate your mentoring experience through completion of a written reflection prior to each coaching call with your Leadership Coach.  
• Follow-on Project Collaboration – Work closely with Fellows throughout the Academy on the ideation, development, and eventually the implementation of their follow on Community Engagement Project. You will provide formal feedback on Canvas at each stage of their CEP assignment submissions.   
• Attend EOP – Attend the three-day in-person End of Program Workshop in Washington, D.C. 
• Optionally Facilitate Sessions – Mentors will have the option to facilitate sessions focused on civil society and leadership areas of expertise.  
• Prepare – Mentors will draw on their own exchange experiences and help prepare Fellows for their returns to their home country and CEP implementation.  

5. Post Fellowship 

• Six Check-In Calls – Conduct 30-minute check-in calls with your assigned Fellows once a month (six total) over the course of the CEP implementation period. These meetings should support the Fellow’s successful implementation and completion of their CEP. 
• Attend Live Sessions – Attend one to two optional live sessions between July- December 2025 to connect with Fellows and CEE Team members to discuss CEP progress and learnings. 
• Join Final Debrief – Attend a final mentoring and debrief workshop hosted by Dr. Deidre Combs and reflect on your workshop learnings (observations, insights, and commitments.) Dr. Combs will provide you with a debrief worksheet for this call. 

The Community Engagement Exchange Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by IREX. 

Timeline

August 22, 2024: Mentor application launches

September 13, 2024: Mentor application closes

September 30 – October 2, 2024: Finalist and alternate Mentors notified

October 18, 2024: Deadline for finalists to accept their offer

October 30, 2024: Selected Mentors have first call with Combs and Company

January 7, 2025: Mentors introduce themselves to fellows

March 7, 2025: CEE Mentors travel to Chicago, Illinois for the Mentor Development Training.