Ten milestones, one cohort year. Applications open mid-January; cohort year runs January through October; graduation at National Convention.
📅 Add all milestones to your calendar
Next-year committee invitations go out and lock by mid-November. Chair–VC weekly cadence reactivates.
＋ Add to calendarMentor invitations sent early December; all confirmed by December 31. Mentor orientation mid-December.
＋ Add to calendarVia Paperform. Application window: January 15 – February 18 (5 weeks).
＋ Add to calendarAREAA Leadership Summit mid-February. Mentee applications close February 18. Orientation call February 25.
＋ Add to calendar~3 days of video interviews. ~35–40 interviews scheduled across the week. Interview videos sent to mentors by Friday.
＋ Add to calendarMentors watch interview videos and submit ranked top-5 mentee preferences. Pairings finalized by end of March.
＋ Add to calendarLive cohort event. Mentors meet mentees publicly. Relationship Counselors assigned within the week.
＋ Add to calendarNegotiation 101 (late May), Negotiation 2.0 (end of June), Leadership + Succession (July), Public Speaking (August). Policy Summit DC mid-May.
＋ Add to calendar5–7 minute presentations + video testimonials + 200-word leadership theses. Voting follows immediately.
＋ Add to calendarCohort graduation at National Convention. Mentor dinner. Next-year mentor headhunting (the load-bearing chair activity of the entire year).
＋ Add to calendarWant the full step-by-step with every operational detail? Read the program.
The 2027 application window opens January 15, 2027. Add your email to get notified the moment it does.