Join us

Mentors & Judges

Hosted at Miami University in the Farmer School of Business 83 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH 45056

We invite you to be part of Social Innovation Weekend as a mentor - a vital role in guiding student teams as they tackle real world challenges. Throughout the weekend, student teams will develop innovative solutions addressing loneliness and isolation. Whether it’s tackling social disconnection in aging populations, the impact of digital spaces, or building stronger local communities, your expertise can help shape impactful solutions.

How you can help

Mentors play a crucial role in helping student teams refine and strengthen their ideas and providing on-the-spot guidance to teams as they refine their ideas and business models. Your insight can help students:

  • Identify key stakeholders and collaborators

  • Develop sustainable funding strategies

  • Learn from and engage with the communities they aim to serve

  • Navigate challenges in launching and scaling their solutions

What to expect

As a Mentor, you’ll work with multiple teams during a three-hour shift period on Saturday, March 8th. Each session will typically last 30-45 minutes, during which you can float between teams or coordinate with student organizers to see where your expertise is most needed. Your role is not to provide direct solutions but to help teams think critically - guiding them towards the right questions, challenging their assumptions, and offering insights that push their ideas forward.

Beyond mentoring you’ll have the chance to attend mentor panels as an opportunity to network with other industry professionals and to learn more about, student startups and consulting projects within the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship, and how alumni and external partners are driving innovation within social impact.

Sign up below!

Click here to register as a mentor!

Saturday March 8th Mentor shifts:

Shift #1: 12:00pm - 3:00pm

Shift #2: 3:00pm - 6:00pm

Shift #3: 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Sunday March 9th Judging shifts

Preliminary: 10:15am - 12:00pm

Final Pitches: 12:30pm - 2:00pm

Have more questions? Contact us.

Director: Michael Conger
michael.conger@miamioh.edu (513)-529-2991

Assistant Director: Meghan Smith
smith480@miamioh.edu

 FAQs

  • We are flexible with your schedule, be here when you can! We have specific shifts starting Friday evening at 7pm, Saturday all day, and judging that will take place Sunday.

  • Absolutely, you have the option to be a virtual mentor! If you would like to be present in person and require travel accommodations please contact Meghan Smith (smith480@gmail.com)

  • Students will be aware of the mentors that are attending, often you may be sought out based on your specific knowledge/area of expertise to help consult teams. It is also common for mentors to go from team to team, you never know how your industry/life experience might be exactly what they need to hear!