Why Become a Mentee?

Top Reasons to Join the Mentorship Program:

🚀 Learn from Anywhere

• 100% remote—no need to relocate!

• Fit your learning around your schedule, from anywhere in the world.

👩‍💻 Hands-On Learning with Experts

• Receive personalized guidance from experienced open source developers.

• Sharpen your skills in coding, testing, writing, project management, and much more.

• Tackle real-world software development tasks as part of a vibrant community.

💰 Get Paid While You Learn

• Earn a stipend, paid in two installments based on your progress and final program completion.

• (Note: A few programs are unpaid and will be clearly stated in the Program Description.)

💼 Boost Your Career Prospects

• Connect with employers seeking talent for open source projects.

• Gain exposure and receive potential referrals from mentors for job opportunities.

• (Note: Job interactions and offers are outside the scope of the Mentorship Program and are solely between you and the employer.)

🛠️ Build In-Demand Tech Skills

• Work on real projects using the latest technologies.

• Learn new tools, workflows, and best practices in open source.

🌐 Grow Your Network

• Become part of a global open source community.

• Expand your professional network by working closely with developers, community members, and industry leaders.

• Build lasting relationships with mentors and peers.

What Our Mentees Say

"Life-Changing and Liberating"

“The Linux Kernel Mentorship is life changing. Throughout my internship, I learned that the kernel community is incredibly helpful and kind, always willing to assist new developers. Working on open source projects was a liberating experience—there are no barriers. Anyone, regardless of nationality, creed, or company affiliation, can contribute. That openness is both beautiful and intellectually stimulating.” — Kelsey Skunberg, Linux Kernel Mentorship Program Mentee

"A Perfect Balance"

“Before this internship, I mainly worked on theoretical blockchain and cryptography research at Purdue University. This internship gave me the perfect balance between development and research.” — Jason You, Mentee for Hyperledger Caliper Visualization

"From Intimidation to Inspiration"

“Open source development was initially new and a bit intimidating for me—even beyond the technical skills. However, presenting my project at a Hyperledger event was transformative. It introduced me to the Hyperledger community, opened up a world of possibilities, and allowed me to connect with project maintainers and exchange ideas. Suddenly, the open source Hyperledger ecosystem became accessible and exciting.” — Attila Klenik, Hyperledger Summer Intern Program Alum & Mentor

Moments That Matter: Mentee Testimonials

"A Pride-Taking Moment!"

Think of the moment when your first PR (pull request) gets committed upstream in an application that developers across the globe will use. What a proud moment! Isn’t it?

"The Linux Kernel Mentorship program was a life-changing experience. Working on open source projects was incredibly liberating for me. There are no barriers in open source—anyone can contribute, regardless of nationality, creed, or company affiliation, which I find profoundly beautiful. I believe it is an intellectually stimulating experience for everyone." — Bharath Vedartham, Linux Kernel Mentee

Confidence and Growth

"I had the honor of participating in the Linux Kernel Mentorship Program. Throughout the mentorship, I developed a deep passion for working on open source projects and engaging with their communities. My confidence as a developer grew tremendously.

The application process laid a strong foundation for contributing to the Linux kernel, teaching me how to build patches, debug, run boot tests, and collaborate with open source communities.

I was able to grow these new skills throughout the program while working on my selected project." — Kelsey Skunberg, Linux Kernel Mentorship Program Mentee

From Newcomer to Mentor

"Open source development was new territory for me and, admittedly, a bit intimidating at first. My breakthrough came when I presented my project work at a Hyperledger event—my first close-up experience with the community.

It opened up a world of possibilities: I met maintainers, exchanged ideas, and had my questions answered.

This experience set me on the path to become more involved, eventually becoming a maintainer for Hyperledger Caliper. As a next step, I had the pleasure of mentoring a Caliper-related internship project this year." — Attila Klenik, Hyperledger Summer Intern Program Alum and Current Mentor

Inspired? Leap and discover where open source mentorship can take you!