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.

2026–2027 Mentoring Program

Program Timeline

September 2026

• September 30: Solicitation of interest opens for the 2026–2027 Mentoring Program.

November 2026

• November 20: Mentor and Mentee application deadline.
• November 23: Mentoring Task Force reviews applications and pairs Mentors with Mentees.
• November 24: Mentor/Mentee pairings are announced.
• November 24: Mentoring Task Force conducts follow-up communication with Mentor/Mentee pairs.

December 2026

• December 4: Mentorship Orientation.
• Beginning December 7: Mentors and Mentees connect and begin meeting at least once per month.

January 2027

• January 21: Mentorship Happy Hour.

March 2027

• March 18: Mentorship Happy Hour.

May 2027

• May 11: Mentor and Mentee End-of-Season Virtual Ceremony.
• The formal 2026–2027 Mentoring Program concludes.

June 2027

• Collect Mentor and Mentee program evaluations.
• Mentoring Task Force reviews evaluation data and identifies potential program revisions.
• Begin preparations for the 2027–2028 Mentoring Program.

Eligibility

Mentees

• Should be members of HPPR.
• Must be willing to commit the required time to the Mentoring Program.
• Must be employed, actively seeking employment, or enrolled as 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 the required time to the Mentoring 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 the program’s open recruitment period.
• Applications will be available on the HPPR website and announced through HPPR’s official Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
• After the application deadline, the Mentoring Task Force will review all applications and match Mentors with Mentees.

Matching Mentors and Mentees

• Mentor/Mentee matches may be based on factors such as mutual areas of professional interest,
  schedules, geographic location, and other relevant considerations.
• The Mentoring Task Force may conduct interviews or follow-up calls with Mentor and Mentee
  applicants to clarify areas of interest, goals, availability, and commitment to the program.
• Final Mentor/Mentee assignments will be made by the Mentoring Task Force, and match information
  will be provided directly to each Mentor and Mentee.
• An annual deadline will be established for Mentors and Mentees to make initial contact with
  one another.

Switching Mentors or Mentees

• If a Mentor or Mentee has concerns about their match, they should contact the Chair of the
  Mentoring Task Force.
• The Chair will first work with the Mentor and/or Mentee to determine whether the concerns
  can be addressed and the match can continue successfully.
• If the concerns cannot be resolved, the Chair will work to identify a new Mentor or Mentee,
  as appropriate and based on program availability.