Mentor is the name of Telemachus' adviser is The Odyssey. Its etumology points at one who is a "wise adviser or intimate friend, an also a sage counselor". This being Kernel, we're most excited about the notion of intimate friendship.

Mentors, first and foremost, are our friends. While you may not have been through an entire Kernel block yourself, you have inspired some of the thoughts in the syllabus, or helped the stewards along their own learning paths, or brought people into the community who need to be here in order for necessary conversations to unfold.

You are an inspiration to us and, being friends, we feel the need to share that inspiration with those people just beginning their Kernel experience. In particular, your specific expertise and experience within the industry means that we feel you can provide the kinds of sage and wise advice we would not otherwise be able to find.

Before reading any further, please know that we are truly grateful for the time and insights you continually offer to Kernel.

Mentors have one, primary role:

During each block, we host a 1-1:30hr "Office Hours" event in which Kernel Fellows get to meet and interact with industry experts who also happen to be dear friends of ours. They can pitch their ideas, or discuss problems, or experiment with different ways of looking at what they want to achieve. Our ask of the mentors is to show up, listen attentively, and help in whatever way you can.

This help is not limited to any one thing. It can be technical advice; pointed and specific questions about product-market fit; strategic analysis; design and user experience insights; offers for funding or investment; connections to other developers/designers/DAOs/VCs who are better placed to help; instructive stories about your own experience with similar ideas or products and so on.

We want to make Kernel Office Hours into an institution in the sense of a practice or custom around which many different people can gather in order to advance their own, diverse ideas about - and ways of practicing - excellence. We can only do that with your help.

Of course, providing this help is not a one-way street. By agreeing to mentor Kernel Fellows each Friday (or, if you really need, on a more bespoke schedule), we hope that you find alpha in at least two ways. First, insightful time spent exploring the latest, greatest ideas in web3. Second, through friendships which make it possible to play infinite games and relate more freely.

Kernel is an opportunity to serve, and Office Hours is your place of practice.