By Daniela Zehnder As a college student getting ready for graduation, I have grown to realize that growth in your career, especially in the early stages, is never solely an individual effort. While the effort you put into growing your skills and your network is the driving force of success, it is never the only force. Mentors can appear at any point in your life, whether it be a professor in one of your classes or a boss you encounter at an internship, and the impact remains

Mentorship Experience Starting my first internship has been an exciting and meaningful step for me. When I joined WIN, I was both nervous and excited because I had never had a social media internship. I was excited to start this new journey, meet new people, gain real experience, and develop my skills in social media and marketing! Meeting My Mentor One of the things I was most excited about was finding out who my mentor would be. Before our first Zoom meeting, I was a little

How My Journey Began For the past few months I have had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Women Into Networking mentorship program, where I was paired with Nasya Shepard and Mirakul Moments. As a Communications Studies student at James Madison University, I have always been interested in storytelling, connecting with others, and finding creative ways to share messages. This mentorship experience allowed me to take those interests and apply them in a real world

Cheri Allen is a Soulful Strategist, Transformation Catalyst, and The DIVA Whisperer of @CHOICE Coaching | Consulting LLC. Chéri is where unapologetic ambition meets embodied grace. A powerhouse master credentialed coach, sum ma cum laude graduate who climbed from teen mom to federal management official to solopreneur, with 3,500+ coaching hours under her belt. She now positions soul-stretching DIVAs to architect a life where their wealth, their power, and their worth harmoni

Ernise Cummings is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Secret Miracles, Inc. This non-profit organization is committed to empowering students particularly those attending Title I schools through college preparation, career exposure, entrepreneurship education, and mentorship. Ernise's nonprofit mission was born in the real pressure of parenting. As a single mother raising three children in New Orleans, she wasn't just trying to "get by" she was trying to ensure her kid

Deb Curate graduated from Capella University and is located in Florida. She’s a former Regional Associate Director of Clinical Performance at OptumCare for 20+ years in healthcare. Deb is the Life Strategist at Curate Coaching Group. Her mission is to support women over 40 who are in transition to tap into their light. She guides high-performing women out of survival and into alignment. She offers three different types of coaching/consulting options: Personal Transformation B

Sarah Curcio is the CEO and Social Media Strategist of Sarah's Social Strategy LLC, a role she has proudly held since January 2017. She is passionate about developing and educating goal-oriented, service-based entrepreneurs on effective and strategic social media marketing practices. Thus, enhancing brand visibility and fostering meaningful audience engagement. Currently, Sarah is completing her degree in Psychology and holds certifications in Digital Marketing and Human Reso

Kerrie Muhammad is the CEO of Command the Interview. Kerrie is a seasoned Recruiter and Certified Interview Coach with a hiring-informed perspective shaped by years of evaluating candidates and guiding interview decisions. She currently serves as the head of recruitment and development at a small financial firm, where she built and continues to refine the organization's hiring process and assesses early-career and entry-level talent across multiple recruitment cycles... Throu

Nasya Shepard is the CEO and Founder of Mirakul Moments, LLC, a faith-centered creative and empowerment brand designed to help individuals, entrepreneurs, and organizations turn their stories, ideas, and purpose into meaningful moments of impact. A proud North Carolina native and the youngest of six siblings, Nasya’s life has been marked by courage, perseverance, faith, and an unwavering belief in God and the power of prayer. She is also a proud graduate of Liberty University

Benefits of Volunteer Work Volunteers are crucial to the success of nonprofit organizations throughout the world. As the main force carrying out the programs and services that nonprofits provide, volunteers are the backbone of nonprofit work. Together, let’s dive into the many reasons why nonprofits rely on and cherish their volunteer workers. Provide a Crucial Workforce Nonprofits organize large scale projects to fill gaps in social programs and help communities in need. Vo

The mentor/mentee bond is a powerful relationship dynamic which can be easily applied to the professional world. A professional mentor relationship is between a student or early career employee (the mentee) and an employee who has years of experience in the field (the mentor). The mentor provides the mentee with professional advice which helps the mentee develop their career, but a mentor/mentee relationship isn't just beneficial to the mentee. It's an equal partnership which

Allegra Jackson, founder and business coach with Women Into Networking. Source: Women Into Networking website Mentorship Mentorship has played a big role in my professional growth. As a WINtern with Women Into Networking, I was lucky to learn from Allegra Jackson, who is a founder, business coach, and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience. Her advice about business and personal development has really shaped how I think about my future career. Nonlinear Path to Su

My Experience Being a Mentee Through my internship at Women Into Networking (WIN), I've been assigned a mentor whose name is Manuela Jimenez. Dr. Manuela Jimenez is an accomplished educator, author, and speaker whose mission is rooted in faith, leadership, and service. She's also Dr. World Latina 2025 and represents women who embody strength, intellect, and grace. I won't lie, it was kind of intimidating at first, being assigned a mentor. I didn't know what to expect from thi

Mirakul Moments Getting Started with the WIN Program Joining the WIN program has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me so far. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect going in, but being paired with my mentor, Nasya, made everything feel more exciting and meaningful right away. She is the founder of Mirakul Moments, and from the beginning, she created an environment where I felt comfortable being creative and asking questions. What I Work On Most of my role centers a

First, let’s start by understanding what it means to be a mentor and a mentee. A mentor is someone who acts as an advisor or guide, sharing knowledge and experience with someone who has less experience. This partnership can apply to different areas of life, such as personal development or education, but it is especially powerful for careers, often contributing to the growth of your own business . Boosting Your Personal Brand and Career Opportunities If you feel like you need

I was told early on that I would be assigned a mentor from the Women Into Networking community. With such a vibrant, giving, and supportive community, there could have been no conclusion other than that it was a fantastic opportunity.

A mentor-mentee relationship is more than just advice over coffee; it's one of the most powerful investments you can make in yourself and someone else. At its core, it's a supportive connection in which a more experienced person (the mentor) guides someone who is learning or growing (the mentee). Built on trust, encouragement, and shared knowledge, it creates space for real growth personally, professionally, and everything in between. How it Changes Everything Mentorship is

Communities are stronger together, and that’s why there are partnerships to combine efforts! Joining forces to make an even greater impact in our communities. So, with that in mind we have several partnership announcements to make! The first partnership with Women Into Networking WIN is Kiwanis/Key Club International, Texas Chapter. We are simply thrilled with this collaboration because we are making an impact on the next generation of volunteers. Together, we'll reach more p

As we celebrate another year of partnership, we honor Mrs. Ernise for her unwavering support, wisdom, and belief in the power of community.

Mentorship is more than just advise; it is a relationship based on trust, growth, and mutual learning. Nasya, the founder of Mirakul...