After a successful seven-week pilot, the first-ever NKBA | KBIS Student Mentor Program concluded with 83 students and 49 chapters forging new paths in the kitchen and bath industry.
The inaugural NKBA | KBIS Student Mentor Program successfully wrapped up on May 1st! We are grateful to KOHLER for their sponsorship in supporting the next generation of kitchen and bath professionals.
The pilot ran for seven weeks and matched 83 students with NKBA mentors representing 49 NKBA chapters. Pairs met virtually and in person throughout the program to discuss professional development topics. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion, while mentors earn Continuing Education Units (CEU).
Mentor Paula Kennedy, CMKBD, had this to say:
“As a mentor, sometimes I feel like I get more than I give. And the framework that NKBA put together to help guide us through this made it hard to say no!”
Her mentee Marlene Hainer, a former pharmacist, was thrilled to discover that Paula also had a non-traditional path into the design world. Marlene’s meetings with Paula gave her confidence and clarity to navigate the direction of her career.
The pairs were able to tailor their discussions depending on topics of interest and expertise. For instance, while Heather Dae, AKBD mentored Nate Sito, he wanted to know more about layered lighting. So Heather created a PowerPoint presentation for him titled ”Let There Be Good Light”. Meanwhile, Nate helped Heather with tile selections for a client project.
Mentor Andrea Mulkey reflected on how the program unexpectedly helped her own growth. “It really gave me a lot of opportunities to ask good questions and then ask those same questions of myself.”
Other topics the pairs covered included self-care and avoiding burnout, resume and portfolio development, branding, scheduling, and even managing client files.
We’re now busy planning the Spring 2027 Student Mentor Program using feedback from the pilot to make the next iteration even better for both mentors and mentees. Registration for the program will begin this fall. Stay tuned for more details!
