Professional Development SanFACC

San Gabriel/ Foothill Association of Community Colleges (SanFACC)

The SanFACC Mentor program seeks to build both individual and regional leadership capacity among full-time/permanent community college employees. Mentees with a clear interest in entering or advancing in community college management will be paired with mentors from neighboring colleges already serving in an administrative role. This experience provides a safe environment to develop a knowledge base that supports effective leadership and management. Participants are enriched by experiencing the best practices and lessons learned from colleagues across the region.

The program is sponsored by the San Gabriel/ Foothill Association of Community Colleges (SanFACC). Participating colleges in this year’s Mentor Program include Chaffey College, Glendale College, Mt. San Antonio College, Pasadena City College, and Rio Hondo College.

Eligibility: This program is open to all full-time/permanent employees within a participating community college who are seriously considering moving into or advancing in an administrative position in a community college.

Benefits: Mentees participating in the program will receive one-on-one assistance and advice regarding their own professional development and have the opportunity to job shadow and gain insight into community college management. They can then apply their expanded skills and knowledge to their work, therefore benefiting their home college. It is also expected the mentors will benefit from the experience and perspective their mentees can offer. Please note that participation in the program does not guarantee promotion within an organization. Recruitment for college positions will continue to be open to all and provide equal opportunities to job applicants.

Mentor and Mentee Expectations:

Attend the 4 program meetings scheduled throughout the year (the specific dates are outlined below)
Communicate at least once a month and complete the activities listed on a jointly developed learning contract (a list of possible activities will be provided)
Read and discuss the “Leadership” article(s) that campus coordinators provide
Offer participant feedback about the program via brief mid- and end-of-year surveys

Application: Employees interested in participating in the program must submit an application outlining their professional background, career goals, and the specific areas they would like to learn about. They must also provide their resume and a letter of recommendation from a colleague.

Participants will be selected based on the following criteria:

Employment status: applicant must be a permanent full-time employee poised to enter or advance into community college administration as next career move
Evidence of leadership experience
Clarity of desired outcome: applicant clearly explains what they hope to get out of their participation in the program
Commitment: applicant conveys a commitment to fully engage in and complete the program (including activities that occur outside of work hours)

Process: A campus-based selection committee will review and score applications and select up to 3 potential mentees to be brought forward to a SanFACC matching meeting. Mentors will be sought based on: (a) their expertise in the field that the mentee wants to learn about, and (b) their willingness to invest time and energy to support the career development of emerging leaders. Please note that program coordinators will make every effort to recruit mentors that match with mentees’ requests/needs, but the availability of mentors in a specific field and/or job category cannot be guaranteed.

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