Summary

The Hispanic Professionals in Parks and Recreation (HPPR) program provides professional development opportunities through creating a one-on-one mentoring environment. The goal is to have each partner share knowledge and ideas, and less experienced participants gain expertise and build a professional network. Mentors are paired with mentees by association (college, experience), interests, and geographic region. The mentor and mentee determine the length of the formal relationship.

2026 Mentoring Program Timeline

📢 February 2026 – Call for Interest

The solicitation of interest for the 2026 Mentoring Program opens.

📝 March 2026 – Application & Pairing Process

• March 20, 2026 – Application deadline

• March 23, 2026 – Task Force reviews applications and pairs Mentors with Mentees

• Mentor/Mentee pair announcements are made

• Follow-up emails and phone calls are conducted by the Task Force

🚀 April 2026 – Program Launch

• April 3, 2026 – Mentorship Orientation

• Beginning April 6, 2026 – Mentors and Mentees connect and commit to meeting at least once per month

🤝 September 29 – October 1, 2026 – NRPA Conference

• Mentors and Mentees meet in person at the NRPA Conference, as available

• The formal 2026 Mentoring Program concludes at the conference

📊 October 2026 – Program Evaluation & Next Cycle Launch

• Mentor and Mentee evaluations are collected

• Task Force reviews feedback and develops program improvements

• Solicitation of interest opens for the 2026–2027 Mentoring Program at the NRPA Conference

Eligibility

Mentees:

• Should be members of HPPR.
• Must be willing to commit time to the Mentorship Program.
• Must be employed (or actively seeking employment) or be a student in the parks and recreation field.
• Should participate in their local or state parks and recreation association.
• Must complete and submit the online Mentee Application.

Mentors:

• Should be members of HPPR
• Must be willing to commit time to the Mentorship Program.
• Must have significant experience in the parks and recreation field.
• Should participate in their local or state parks and recreation association.
• Must complete and submit the online Mentor Application.

Application process

• Enrollment will occur during open recruitment for the program.
• Applications will be available on the HPRR Website and announced on the official Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
• After the application deadline, all applications will be reviewed by the committee and Mentors/Mentees will be matched.

Matching Mentors with Mentees

• Matching Mentors with Mentees may be based on such factors such as: mutual areas of professional interest, schedules, geographic location, etc.
• Interviews or follow-up calls by the committee may occur with the Mentor/Mentee applicants to clarify areas of interest and the commitment level of participants.
• Assignment will be made by the committee and information will be sent out to each Mentor/Mentee.
• A date by which Mentors/Mentees should contact one another will be established annually.

Switching Mentors/Mentees

• If a Mentor or a Mentee feels uncomfortable with their match, they should direct their comments to the Chair of the Mentoring Committee.
• The Chair will first attempt to work with the respective Mentor/Mentee to identify how to make the match work.
• If unsuccessful, the Chair will work to find a new Mentor for the Mentee and vice versa.