Mentoring for Graduate Students
As a first year graduate student we would like to offer you the opportunity to work with a ‘seasoned’ student through our Graduate Mentoring Program. This is an opportunity for you to be supported, build community, and feel connected as you begin this educational journey.
HOW IT WORKS
- Interested first year MPH and PhD students should complete a Graduate Mentoring Program Interest Form* that includes public health interests, educational background, skills interested in developing, and professional goals.
- Mentees are paired with 2nd year MPH or doctoral students that have shared public health interests.
- Mentoring lasts for a full academic year (2 semesters).
- Mentees and mentors communicate with each other at least once a month. Both formal (face-to-face meetings) and informal (e.g., Google Chat, Facebook) communications are encouraged between mentor-mentee pairs. It is up to the mentor and mentee to decide what form of communication will be used.
- Participating students are invited to attend socials planned throughout the year that provide opportunities for all participants to interact in a casual setting.
*Graduate Mentoring Program Interest Form will be available during the Public Health Education Graduate Program Orientation each fall.
IS MENTORING RIGHT FOR YOU? CONSIDER:
❏Clear reasoning of why you need a mentor and how the mentoring relationship will benefit you
❏Good understanding of my personal abilities, strengths, challenges, and goals
❏Open to constructive feedback and learning
❏Willing to actively seek and maintain a mentoring relationship
❏Willing and open to communicating with my mentor in an honest, direct, and respectful way
❏Respect meeting times and other commitments
Frequently Asked Questions
Elective suggestions
Coursework Expectations
Academic and Work-Life Balance
CHES/MCHES Certification Exams
Time and Stress Management
Community Meetings and Events
Research and Service Opportunities
Upcoming Local and National conferences
Internship Insight
Current Public Health News and Publications
Career Goals and Employment Opportunities
Professional Development Opportunities
Reminders about Department Socials, Advising Events and perspective student Open Houses
Mentoring provides professional socialization and personal support to facilitate success while in school and beyond. Quality mentoring greatly enhances students’ chances for success.
Mentoring is a personal, as well as, professional relationship that is characterized by mutual respect, trust, understanding, and empathy between the mentor and mentee. In a good mentoring relationship a mentor will be able to share life experiences and wisdom, as well as technical expertise through their ability to be good listeners and problem-solvers. Mentors make an effort to know, accept, and respect the goals and interests of a student and they establish an environment in which the student’s accomplishment is limited only by the extent of his or her talent.
After filling out a mentoring survey, pairs are created by their shared public health interests, skills and skill sets interested in developing, background, past major, and career goals.
Mentoring sessions are agreed upon between the mentor and mentee and can be conducted face to face or through other communication avenues such as email, Skype, FaceTime, phone, or text.
Mentors and mentees should meet at least once a month.
No, group mentoring events will be covered by the department.