Finding a Mentor
Once you’ve decided you want a mentor, it may
at first seem difficult to find one. There are only
so many professors for a lot of students, and you may
not have that many contacts with the outside world.
However, here are some tips to help you in your mentor
search.
Look for more than one mentor. It is much
more realistic - - and often more helpful - - to find
several people who have different strengths to draw
on. One might be an excellent technical person who could
advise you about a senior project; another might be
a young mother on a medical school faculty who can coach
you on home and work “balance” issues. Nobody
looks for just one friend, so why should you try to
find just one mentor? While some mentors may be closer
or more crucial than others, it makes sense to cultivate
a variety of mentors and ask a little from a lot of
people.
Look outside the college or graduate school setting.
Use your other contacts, made through summer jobs, family
friends, or high school teachers.
If you have a targeted profession/goal in mind your peers might be able to assistant in finding a mentor.
Ask everyone, not just the people
who you think might have the information. Try an approach
like: “I'm interested in mass spectrometry, and
I am asking everyone I know if they have ever met anyone
in that field.”
Get to know the teaching assistants or lab assistants
in courses you are taking. Mentors do not have
to be people who have worked in a field for years; sometimes
they are closer to your age and particular situation.
For instance, if you are still trying to learn enough
to know whether a certain specialty or field is for
you, a teaching/lab assistant may understand your dilemmas
better than someone who made his or her career choice
many years ago.
Choose a few professors who could be mentors.
Most professors enjoy spending time with students who
have a real interest in their subjects. If you do well
in class, ask lots of questions and contribute to the
discussion, the professor will be even happier to see
you during office hours. Questions about the class can
easily lead to a broader conversation about you and
your goals, and/or about your professor and how s/he
got where s/he is today.
On the other hand, if you are not doing well in class you might feel intimidated to speak with your professor. Use this to your advantage, start out talking about your progress in class and steer the conversation towards broader topics.
Remember, many people like to mentor. Not
only is it satisfying to pass on some of what they have
learned, but it also helps them to reflect on their
own careers and to come to new insights. Because mentoring
is such a mutually beneficial experience, do not hesitate
to ask questions!
Mentoring Programs for College Students
Professors can serve as important mentors to students. Talking to your professor about course concerns and advice can be extremely helpful in developing your career goals.
Many “Women in Science” organizations have
established mentoring programs connecting students to
female professors and researchers. There are also many
peer mentoring programs that connect you to other women
and provide support, encouragement and friendship.
National Telementoring Programs
MentorNet
MentorNet is The E-Mentoring Network for Women in Engineering
and Science. Women who are studying engineering or science
at one of the participating
colleges or universities are paired with and form
e-mail-based mentoring relationships with professional
scientists and engineers.
One on One Mentoring Program: various locations
The MentorNet One-on-One Mentoring Program matches community
college, undergraduate, and graduate women students
with engineers and scientists working in corporations,
national laboratories, and government.
Connections:
E-mentoring: Boston area, MA
E-Mentoring is a program developed at Northeastern University's
College of Engineering to provide long-term mentoring
experiences for students. Participants communicate with
each other through the internet on a regular basis.
Mentors2you.com
Incorporated in 2002, Mentors2you, Inc., is dedicated
to providing proper direction for young adults through
mentorship online. While their focus is on college students,
they provide countless resources to high school students
as well.
Programs at Colleges and Universities
College
of Letters and Science Peer Mentoring Program: University
of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Peer Mentors assist other students with their writing,
study skills, time management, stress management, adjustment
to college, and Internet skills. Peer Mentors also form
an important link between students and UWM, helping
students utilize the many resources available from other
campus programs.
CRA
Distributed Mentor Project: University of Wisconsin,
Madison, WI
The CRA Distributed Mentor Project works to increase
the number of women entering graduate school in Computer
Science and Computer Engineering. To achieve this, the
project matches outstanding female undergraduates with
female mentors for a summer of research at the mentor's
institution.
Student
to Student Support in Science (SSSS): University of
Iowa, Iowa City, IA
First-year students can receive both academic and social
support through SSSS, which matches them with juniors
and seniors in a similar major. The mentors might help
their mentees with course selection, preparing for finals,
locating apartments, or even finding their way around
Iowa City. Workshops and small-group meetings are held
throughout the year.
WISE
Mentoring Programs: University of Washington, Seattle,
WA
The Center for Women in Science and Engineering commits
itself to creating a supportive academic and social
climate for female students in science and engineering.
To facilitate and ensure their success, WISE coordinates
different mentoring programs to introduce students to
experienced individuals, who act as advisors and role
models, in their respective fields of interest.
Women
Mentoring Women: Kansas State University, Manhattan,
KS
In this program for engineering students, freshmen women
are paired with upperclass-women mentors who are in
the same program. The mentors offer advice, answer questions,
and provide whatever support they can throughout the
academic year. |