Judges & Mentors

The WMGIC x NATO Countering Disinformation Challenge will be held on November 1, 2024.

Please complete this form if interested in serving as a judge or mentor

Judges & Mentors

Judges and mentors are our invaluable assets. As professionals in the real world, our judges and mentors bring their diverse perspectives and experiences to the competition, and help our participants further consider the feasibility, creativity, and other aspects of their proposal. Every year, our participants gain insightful feedback when interacting with the judges and mentors, and our judges and mentors also obtain valuable experience while they volunteer their time to inspire the next generation of international leaders. WMGIC also connects them with like minded-professionals in their fields throughout the event as they support the emerging talents.

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What does it mean to be a judge?

Judges are our evaluators. Being a judge is a unique opportunity to interact with the next generation of global leaders and problem solvers. As a judge, you will listen to teams of participants presenting their innovative solution to the existing disinformation issue in your professional field. A judge asks valuable questions that help them further consider the feasibility, creativity, and other aspects of their proposal. Then, you will draw on your expertise to assess the team’s efforts using a set criteria, ultimately declaring a winner. You encourage these bright, creative, and intelligent undergraduate students, while getting inspiration from their passion and innovative mindsets. Maybe there is an idea you can put into practice, with attribution of course. You may even be their light in the tunnel, inspiring them to continue in this field.

Click to view a brief video on what it means to be a judge

Judges Responsibilities:

Listen to approximately an entire streams’ final presentations on zoom.
- Participants will be arranged into several streams during the competition this year. Each stream represents a realm that needs innovative solutions on countering disinformation.
Ask teams valuable questions that help them further consider the feasibility, creativity, and other aspects of their proposal.
Assess the team’s efforts using a set criteria that would be made public with the case document before the competition begins.
Discuss with the other judges in the stream to declare a stream winner.
Judging rubric sample:

Click to view a sample judging rubric from the 2022 Challenge

Time commitment for this year's judges:

11:20AM - 1:00PM EDT on November 1, 2024.

Click to view a sample schedule from the 2023 Challenge

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What does it mean to be a mentor?

Mentors are our expert coaches who share their diverse perspectives and experiences with students. In the course of 6 hours, a mentor will spend approximately 15 minutes with each student team, listening to their pitch and then providing feedback before rotating to the next cohort. A mentor will meet with teams to aid in their development of a solution to this challenge’s case topic. The experience you impart on them as a mentor is crucial in their understanding of the field and in their final presentation. A mentor is not the authority on everything – you will speak to what you know and where you feel you can provide value. You will encourage these bright, creative, and intelligent undergraduate students, while giving constructive critiques and points they may wish to consider. The role of a mentor is an existing way to engage and shape incredible young leaders who may one day be alongside you.

Click to view a brief video on what it means to be a mentor

Mentor Responsibilities:

Listen to teams from the same stream on Zoom to aid in their development of a solution to this challenge's case topic.
- Participants will be arranged into several streams during the competition this year. Each stream represents a realm that needs innovative solutions on countering disinformation.
Spend approximately 30 minutes (within 2 rounds) with each student team, listen to their pitch and provide feedback before rotating to the next cohort.

Time commitment for this year's mentors:

8:30 - 11:00AM EDT on November 1, 2024.

Click to see a sample schedule from the 2023 Challenge

Judge Testimony

"WMGIC is a place to see bright minds tackle wicked problems with creativity, empathy, and wit. I consistently leave WMGIC inspired by the talent, hard work, and passion of the participants."

- Meredith Perry (USAID)
WMGIC I, II, IV, V, VI, & VII Judge

Mentor Testimony

"As a development professional who works at the intersection of innovation and social impact financing for some of our world's biggest development challenges, I am continually blown away by the level of professionalism, informed and thoughtful problem-solving, and the creative and implementable solutions that the students at WMGIC come up with and present each year."

- Heather Lane Chauny
WMGIC III, IV & V Mentor