Hynes Institute Mentoring Programs

The Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation's mission is to create and foster an interdisciplinary community of Iona students who engage in entrepreneurial learning opportunities to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Therefore, we designed our programs so that students can freely discover their purpose, passion, and interests while applying themselves to the exploration of new ideas.

An essential element of our work is to provide students with a robust mentoring program. We encourage collaboration between students and mentors to learn from each other by co-creating experiences and active engagement in our entrepreneurship community and ecosystem. We offer three distinct mentoring approaches:

1. In-Residence Team
2. Community Mentor Network
3. Peer-Mentorship

In-Residence Team

The In-Residence (IR) Team serves as a guiding force for Iona students pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. Whether in the beginning stages of exploring an idea or ready to launch a business, the IR team will be there every step of the way— providing resources, access, and achievable goals to get to the next stage.

• Play, ideate, and prototype with our Designer-In-Residence (DIR)
• Build, strategize and collaborate with our Strategist-In-Residence (SIR)
• Execute and launch with our Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR)

Community Mentor Network

The Community Mentor Network leverages our larger entrepreneurship community by bringing together alumni, industry leaders, advisors, faculty, and investors to support Iona student entrepreneurs' personal and professional development. This network creates transformative learning experiences and environments for Iona students and mentors alike. Students can take advantage of this community through:

• Participating in mentor-facilitated workshops
• Attending Entrepreneur Talks (E-Talks) showcasing entrepreneurial experiences
• Networking, presenting, and receiving feedback at community meetups
• Receiving business coaching through courses, competitions, etc.
• Connecting with mentors through one-on-one pairings

Peer-Mentorship

Peer-Mentorship leverages the power of student-to-student connections. Mentees gain valuable experience as they build peer relationships, learn how to take feedback, express what they are working on, and grow their ideas. Students can be connected to peer mentors to collaborate in our coworking spaces or receive feedback in their classes as they work on projects. Through the guidance of their peers, students generate a level of spark, passion, and impact that is priceless.

• Hynes Institute Entrepreneurial Internship – The entrepreneurial interns serve as Hynes Institute Ambassadors and peer mentors to the Iona student population. They help plan and execute programming, create community, and build opportunities for fellow students to develop their entrepreneurial mindset.
• Ambassador Program – The Ambassador Program provides an opportunity for students who have been a part of the Iona entrepreneurship community. Ambassadors are heavily engaged in Hynes Institute programming, study entrepreneurship and innovation, and/or are members of the entrepreneurship club (CEO Club). In that capacity, they serve as peer mentors sharing their entrepreneurship journey on campus and in their personal lives.

Get connected to a mentorship opportunity!

If you would like to participate in a mentoring program through the Hynes Institute, please reach out to Lendynette Pacheco-Jorge at lpachecojorge@iona.edu.