The sponsor

The sponsor is a person who does not merely guide the mentee but carries them to concrete opportunities. The economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett distinguishes sponsorship from mentoring: the mentor gives advice, while the sponsor puts their own reputation on the line and speaks the mentee's name at the right tables. The sponsor defends the mentee even in their absence and opens doors for them. This role carries a risk as well; the sponsor practically vouches for the mentee. Sponsorship is where belief passes from word into action.