Supporting career advancement by launching a mentorship program for members
Driving advancement and innovation – a look at our RTX Black Excellence Network
Building a new generation of leaders through mentorship and community
Lauren Vincent felt seen.
She remembers the moment clearly. Her mentor had surprised her by offering not just general support, but the specific kind of advocacy she most needed early in her career.
“He said, ‘You’re young, you’re Black and you’re a woman. Wherever you go, you will have a unique set of challenges that many of us will not recognize or understand. I want to help you learn how to navigate those things.’”
Vincent, now an associate director of the aftermarket operations command center at Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, recalls thinking: “Wow, this man is really having this conversation with me. It was almost unheard of. It was like, ‘You do recognize this.’”
Today that experience drives her in leading a new mentorship program launched in early 2024 through the RTX Black Excellence Network, the company’s employee resource group for Black employees and allies.
“We want to get away from asking people to assimilate into how a specific individual might define professionalism – and empower them to lead with an authentic voice.”
Lauren Vincent | Business Unit Chair | RTX BXN at Pratt & Whitney
Building the foundation
RTX’s Black Excellence Network, also called RTX BXN, is part of the company’s commitment to strengthening inclusion and creating equitable opportunities for employees. The group’s major objectives include:
Recruiting at diversity conferences and Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ career fairs
Driving innovation through the group’s new Black technical fellows program
Fostering inclusion and belonging with a new recognition and awards program, global events and collaborating with other ERGs
Leading with authenticity
For RTX BXN global chair LaWanda Scott and co-chair Luidgi Felix, 2024 is a year to continue building on the group’s four focus areas: talent retention and recruitment, employee advancement, innovation and culture.
The group’s new mentorship program addresses several of those priorities at once. The eight-month program will launch with 30 pairs of mentors and mentees. They will meet one-on-one and in monthly group sessions, and, at the end, mentees will have the option to serve as mentors for a future cohort, said Vincent, who is also the chair of the RTX BXN chapter at Pratt & Whitney.
“This program is a culmination of previous lessons learned and our personal experiences,” she said. “We are making sure our mentors are comfortable with encouraging mentees to lead with authenticity.”
“We want to get away from asking people to assimilate to how a specific individual might define professionalism – and empower them to lead with an authentic voice, lean into their lived experiences, and embrace the lessons learned.”
Supporting employee advancement is a broad focus for RTX BXN. The ERG is planning to increase the number of Black technical fellows at the company. Current fellows – employees in temporary assignments to pursue advanced study of a topic – will participate in a series of roundtable discussions and lunch-and-learn sessions. RTX BXN leaders also regularly attend external conferences and career fairs, and they recruit at Historically Black College and University campuses.
The ERG recently launched a new awards program to recognize employee excellence, contributions and community service throughout the year. RTX BXN is also expanding its global presence, with celebrations of Black History Month in Canada and in the UK.
“Learning about each other culturally is how we create innovation,” said Felix, an associate director of mission assurance at Raytheon, an RTX business. “It brings people together from diverse backgrounds, and the conversations are so rich. It’s about educating ourselves – understanding cultural behaviors so you can try to eliminate the unconscious bias.”
Partnering across the company’s employee resource groups is another important goal for the group. For example, RTX BXN is collaborating with RTX WISE, or Women Inspiring Success and Empowerment, to co-host a virtual Women of Color event for employees.
“We will talk about our perspectives, the intersectionality of women of color in the organization, and the empowerment of women of color,” said Scott, an associate director of operations strategy and customer support at Pratt & Whitney.
“Our company understands the impact of diversity, equity and inclusion on our ability to meet customer demand, and we are creating that gateway,” Scott continued. “This is the legacy for RTX BXN. We’re building the foundation – not just for us but for generations to come.”
“Our company understands the impact of diversity, equity and inclusion on our ability to meet customer demand, and we are creating that gateway. This is the legacy for RTX BXN. We’re building the foundation – not just for us but for generations to come.”
LaWanda Scott | Global Chair | RTX Black Excellence Network
‘I felt seen, and I felt acknowledged’
While Vincent credits many supportive mentors with helping her shape her career, her early experience remains one of the most poignant.
“That mentoring relationship meant the world to me because I felt seen, and I felt acknowledged,” she said. “That is one of the most important things any mentor and mentee should recognize. It’s OK to acknowledge those hurdles. It gives a sense of validation and reassurance to move forward.”
“It’s how I look at building my mentorship circle and ensuring that diversity of thought and experience is there,” she continued. “It’s very important.”
“Learning about each other culturally is how we create innovation. It brings people together from diverse backgrounds, and the conversations are so rich.”
Luidgi Felix | Global Co-chair | RTX Black Excellence Network
