Solar Decathlon Mentor Program

Program Details
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® Mentor Program pairs Solar Decathlon alumni with student teams participating in the Design Challenge or Build Challenge. The Mentor Program enables additional support and guidance for student teams and lowers the barrier to entry for first-year teams, but all teams are welcome to apply for a Mentor. Alumni from the Solar Decathlon from any competition year can sign up to mentor a student team.
Commitment
- Mentors provide up to 15 hours of support throughout the Design Challenge competition, or up to 40 hours of support throughout the Build Challenge competition.
- More details about requirements for Design Challenge and Build Challenge Mentors can be found in the Mentor Program Guide.
- Mentors provide support throughout the competition period to participating teams, which may include technical or nontechnical review and feedback on project direction, deliverables, and presentations.
Benefits
- The program fosters growth in leadership skills while helping Solar Decathlon teams achieve success through critical project feedback and advice, which is expected to be particularly beneficial for students with limited experience in the competition.
- Mentors are recognized on the official Solar Decathlon website and social media channels and receive a certificate from the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Mentors are invited to participate in the Solar Decathlon Competition Event each April, which will include opportunities to network with industry expert jurors, sponsors, and other Solar Decathlon alumni.
“The [Mentor Program] helped me in developing leadership skills and interacting with new people. From being a Student Participant to Mentoring the Student Team, Solar Decathlon has taught me many valuable lessons.” – Former Alumni Mentor