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The career advice for undergrad mentoring is true for
grad mentoring as well. A primary goal for students
should be to finish their degree program in a timely
fashion, and this will probably form the core of your
relationship with your grad student protégé.
1. Encourage due diligence in investigating and selecting
a graduate program. (campus visits; web site; speaking
with current students and faculty; reading publications
by faculty; etc.)
2. Encourage students to be carefully selective in choosing
a research advisor. Compatibility of mentoring style
with a student's own personality and needs is essential.
3. What students should you accept? Remind yourself
and the students you are considering mentoring of the
importance of personal chemistry. Handling more than
one student at a time may or may not be a viable approach.
4. Choosing a degree program. Many students fresh out
of undergrad school are unable to visualize a career
path. Remind them that careers evolve slowly. Probe
to uncover interests, skills and passions. Keep in mind
the option of combining science and engineering degrees
with other, non-technical degrees such as the MBA, JD
or MD.
5. Choosing a research topic. Urge the student to think
through a topic in advance, to imagine a thesis title,
list hypotheses to test and perhaps expected outcomes,
and write a full proposal.
6. Making good progress. Part of the mentor's job is
to teach careful planning and use of time. Discuss with
the student his or her responsibilities and agree on
time lines. Monitor progress and discuss lapses.
The Council on Graduate Schools provides a useful summary
of a mentor's multiple roles: Mentors are:
ADVISORS, people with career experience willing
to share their knowledge;
SUPPORTERS, people who give emotional and moral
encouragement;
TUTORS, people who give specific feedback on
one's performance;
MASTERS, in the sense of employers to whom one
is apprenticed;
SPONSORS, sources of information about and aid
in obtaining opportunities;
MODELS, of identity, of the kind of person one
should be to be an academic.
In
general, an effective mentoring relationship is characterized
by mutual respect, trust, understanding, and empathy.
Good mentors are good listeners, good observers and
good problem solvers. They make an effort to know, accept
and respect the goals and interests of a student. Most
important, they are constantly looking for ways to establish
an environment in which the student's accomplishment
is limited only by the extent of his or her own talent
PAUSE
AND REFLECT
You may find it useful to begin by thinking about
your days as a graduate student and the mentoring
you received. Think about the following:
ˇ What kind of mentoring did you have?
ˇ What did you like and not like about the mentoring
you received?
ˇ How well did your mentors help you progress through
your graduate program?
ˇ How well did your mentors prepare you for your
academic career? ˇ What did you not receive in the
way of mentoring which would have been helpful to
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There
are seven important tasks that you will want to consider
as you embark upon your mentoring relationship:
1. Engage graduate students in ongoing conversations.
2. Demystify graduate school.
3. Provide constructive and supportive feedback.
4. Provide encouragement and support.
5. Help foster networks.
6. Look out for the student's interests.
7. Treat the student with respect.
8. Provide a personal touch.
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