ASCE OC Mentorship: Speed Mentorship Event

On Thursday, October 16th, the ASCE OC Mentorship Committee kicked off the 2025–2026 Mentorship Program with the Speed Mentorship Event at the Michael Baker International (MBI) office in Santa Ana. This event marked the start of the mentorship program, which welcomed 31 participants (14 mentors and 17 protégés).

The event began with an introduction from Richard Beck, the MBI representative, and the Mentorship Committee, who welcomed participants and prepared the evening’s activities.

Kevin DuMont of Du Mont Engineering also gave a speech about Mentorship as the event's sponsor.

The ASCE OC YMF Past President, Marionne Lapitan, also addressed the group, outlining the goals and logistics of the speed mentoring process and emphasizing the program's role in fostering professional growth and career development.

Protégés participated in 10-minute “speed interview” style rotations with each mentor. These quick, focused conversations allowed participants to discuss their personal and professional goals, talk through challenges in the field, and gain valuable advice from a mix of experienced mentors.

After the speed mentoring rounds, both protégés and mentors were asked to complete a survey where they could select their top three choices for potential mentor-mentee pairings. The results are carefully reviewed to match participants based on their needs, goals, and expertise. The final pairings will be revealed in a separate virtual mentorship reveal event, where participants will officially meet their mentors for the upcoming program year.

Overall, the event was a tremendous success, with strong engagement and positive feedback from both mentors and protégés. This speed mentoring event set the stage for another exciting year ahead, and we look forward to the ongoing success of the 2025–2026 ASCE OC Mentorship Program.

For more information about ASCE Orange County's Mentorship Program, please email us at mentorship@asceoc.org.

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About the Author:

Don Vu is a Transportation Engineering Associate III in the Central District at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. He received his B.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of California, Irvine in 2019. He currently serves as the ASCE Orange County Mentorship Program Chair.