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Mentoring Program

Introduction

Mentor? I don't have time for a mentor? That was my first response when I was approached with a mentor relationship opportunity with a faculty member during an extremely busy and stressful week; it was my first week of classes. Despite my initial response, I did meet up with my mentor and I'm very glad I did. My mentor is now an additional resource for me as I continue my education and as I make decisions that will affect me for years to come.

SHADE believes strongly in the opportunities that mentor relationships provide for both mentors and mentees, and these relationships could be a crucial part of your success in the social work program. SHADE's role in this mentorship program will be to try to match you up with a mentor/mentee and to be available for any questions you may have.

Every mentoring relationship is unique, as are the people who are a part of them. To make things a bit easier with the mentor relationships, we've compiled some information to help you understand expectations.

We hope that you will be able to participate in SHADE's mentoring program. If there is anything that we can do to help, please feel free to contact us. We hope that your semester goes well, and you are able to use this information to develop a successful mentoring relationship whatever it may be.

Erica Galindo SHADE President 2005-2006

I. What is Mentoring?

A mentoring relationship is a close, individualized relationship that develops over time between students that includes both caring and guidance. Mentors, as defined by The Council of Graduate Schools, 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 (Zelditch, 1990)

This is only one definition of what a mentor is. There are many qualities that a mentor can have and many different things that a mentor can be. Focus on what you can offer the person(s) you are going to mentor.

II. Why is Mentoring Important?

Graduate school is the professional training ground where you learn the skills you need to be successful in your field and gain an understanding of how your discipline works.

Mentoring is important to graduate students not only because of the knowledge and skills that are learned, but also because of the many other aspects of professional socialization and personal support that are needed to facilitate success in graduate school and beyond. Research shows that students who have mentoring relationships have higher productivity levels, a higher level of involvement with their departments, and greater satisfaction with their programs (Green & Bauer, 1995).

III. How to Initiate Contact with a Potential Mentor/Mentee

The goals of your initial meeting, for both mentors and mentees, are to make a positive impression and to establish a working rapport.

Keep in mind that the mentoring relationship is one that evolves over time and oftentimes begins because of a particular need.

The following are things for both Mentors and Mentees to keep in mind when initiating contact:

Mutual Interests: Students will want to know if you have interests similar to theirs. Share how your prior academic, professional, or personal experiences relate to each other's interests.

Initiative: Be proactive. For instance, seek further conversations with your mentor/mentee about issues discussed in classes. Ask them for suggestions about other people and experiences that will help you develop your skills and knowledge.

Skills and Strengths: Show your mentor/mentee why they should invest in you. Let them know what qualities you bring to this relationship.

In addition to telling them about yourself, you need to seek further information about your mentor/mentee. You are choosing to work with them just as they are choosing to work with you. In order to assess the amount and type of support you can expect to receive from a particular mentor/mentee you will need to familiarize yourself with the following:

  • Availability

    • To understand how much time the mentor will be able to give and how much time the mentee will require, ask about other commitments. Will that amount of time be sufficient to the mentee? Will the mentor be able to provide that about of time?

  • Communication
    • Are you able to clearly understand each other?
    • Do you feel you are each able to effectively communicate thoughts and ideas?
    • Do you think you will be able to work closely with each other?
    • Do you think you will be able to accommodate to each other's professional and personal style?
  • Expectations
    • How often does the mentor/mentee like to meet one-on-one?
    • What if an emergency arises and the mentor/mentee wants to meet more often?
    • What if the mentor/mentee is not able to make a meeting, does it get rescheduled? Do you wait until the next scheduled meeting time?
    • Do you need to have a scheduled meeting time to meet with your mentor/mentee?
    • What is the best way to contact your mentor/mentee?

In any meeting with a mentor/mentee, keep the following in mind:

Respect their time. Be sure you know how much time they have available to give you and be aware of how quickly time is passing. If you need additional time, schedule another meeting to discuss the remaining topics or make other arrangements to continue your discussion, such as over e-mail or by telephone.

IV. How to Increase Your Chances of Providing/Finding Good Mentoring

Have Realistic Expectations

As stated previously, in order for you to develop a mentoring relationship, you must be proactive. It is your task to get what you want from this relationship.

You also need to have a realistic idea about what any mentor can do for you. Mentors are more likely to respond to requests for specific types of assistance that they know they can provide. Analyze what you need from a specific mentor/mentee and explicitly ask for those things.

Clarify Roles and Responsibilities

Problems in mentorship most often come about because of misunderstandings about the expectations the parties have of one another. Although you do not need to set up a formal contract, some people find it helpful to specify mutual agreements about their respective roles and responsibilities. Some of the expectations you will need to discuss include:

Goals: What are your goals for this mentor relationship? Whether these goals are formal or informal, each member has to be clear on what the other is looking for.

Meetings: Decide how often you will meet face-to-face, being sure that you have the correct amount of time you will need. Discuss whether e-mail is okay for certain issues or questions that might arise between meetings. Find out under what circumstances, if any, the mentor feels is appropriate to be called at home, and let the mentor know if you have any restrictions as well.

V. What to Do if Problems Arise

All of the recommendations is this packet have one purpose: to help you establish and maintain a successful mentor/mentee relationship. Occasionally situations arise which hinder this relationship. If this occurs, you should talk about this with:

The Mentor/Mentee: Your first set is to politely remind the mentor/mentee of your needs. Meeting in person to discuss what is going on is best to get satisfactory results than e-mail, since one's message can be easily misconstrued in electronic communication.

Peers: Other students who have contact with a particular mentor/mentee can tell you if this behavior is typical or if you may be overreacting, and may be able to suggest some possible resolutions.

Departmental Staff: Judy Switzky and Belinda Velasquez (the academic advisors) are available to all mentors and mentees to provide feedback and assistance, as it is needed. If you are not able to resolve differences with each other and cannot get help from peers, please feel free to contact either Judy or Belinda for assistance.

VI. Changing Mentors/Mentees

A mentor relationship is something that needs to work for all parties. If it is not working for the parties involved it is expected that one would want a different mentor or mentee. In all cases, changing a mentor or mentee is best accomplished if you enter the process with an attitude or respect for your mentor/mentee. Here are some basic guidelines:

  • Be sure that you try to work out any differences with your mentor/mentee before you move on.
  • Remain professional at all times. Avoid doing or saying anything that could have ramifications for your future career.
  • Think through the most diplomatic way to express to your mentor/mentee and to others why you are considering a change. And be sure you inform your mentor/mentee if and when you decide to make a change.
  • If you would like another mentor/mentee assigned to you, please notify the SHADE committee member in charge of the mentor program.

    • NOTE: This information was taken from How to Get the Mentoring You Want: A Guide for Graduate Students at a Diverse University from University of Michigan. A copy of the full text will be kept in the Student Organizations Office in room 127 in the School of Social Work Building.