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WTS-Boston DEI in Motion: National Mentoring Month

January 2026

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Image of group in PPE for DEI national mentoring month

National Mentoring Month is celebrated each January. Mentoring has been shown to be beneficial to career advancement and development, especially for women [1]. Analysis by Cigna indicates that 70% of women in leadership positions credit mentorship as important to their career success [2].

One of the ways that WTS-Boston supports the career success of its members is through the Mentorship program, which includes:

Formal Mentoring Program

For seasoned leaders and early to mid-career professionals in the transportation industry.

Emerging Professional and Emerging Leader Programs

The Emerging Professionals Program is for women with no more than 5 years of full-time post-graduate professional experience in the transportation field, and the Emerging Leaders Program is for women with 5 to 10 years of experience in the transportation field.

Management Networking Roundtable

For WTS members with a minimum of 10 years of experience in the transportation industry.


The WTS-Boston mentorship programs can result in transformative change for participants. In the words of 2024 Emerging Leader (EL) Carmen J. Melendez Colon “Through the EL program, I experienced both professional advancement and personal growth. I learned to step outside my comfort zone, especially in leadership roles and networking situations, significantly boosting my confidence. I am particularly thankful for the mentorship and guidance from the program's leaders and my peers. Their support, advice, and encouragement have been instrumental in my growth.”

If you are interested in learning more about the experiences of past cohorts in the Emerging Professionals and Emerging Leaders Programs, please see the links below:

WTS-Boston 2024 Emerging Leaders Reflections

WTS-Boston 2024 Emerging Professionals Reflections

WTS-Boston 2023 Emerging Professionals Reflections

The application period for the 2026 mentorship programs have closed, but please be on the lookout for Management Networking Roundtable events during 2026, and for the fall application period for other programs!

References:

[1] Promising Practices for Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine: Opening Doors.

[2] Women in Leadership Study

 


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