GNSA Mentoring Program

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The GNSA mentoring program is a peer-to-peer mentoring opportunity for GNSA members. The mentoring offered will focus on key thematic areas which include academic excellence, leadership development, and educational planning. The application cycle for the program will take place late fall with mentoring relationships starting in early February for a minimum of 6 months.

The 2025 mentoring application cycle is closed. Check back in August 2025 for more information on the next application cycle. 

To learn more about the mentoring program and what you can expect, click here to review a brief information webinar (passcode: u^Lx8w#J).

 

Mentoring is a reciprocal learning relationship in which mentor and mentee agree to a partnership where they will work collaboratively toward achievement of mutually defined goals that will develop a mentee’s skills, abilities, knowledge and/or thinking. 

Notebook with text on it describing aspects of mentorship: training, develop, leadership, advice, direction, inspire

As a Mentor/Mentee you are asked to:

  • Commit the time to the mentoring relationship
  • Build a relationship with your mentor/mentee
  • Dedicate at least 1 hour/meeting to the relationship (meetings will take place as agreed upon by the mentoring pair)
  • Communicate openly
  • Actively listen and give feedback 
  • Work through issues that arise in the mentoring relationship
  • Evaluate the process
  • Learn about yourself

What you can expect to gain:

  • Pride in being part of someone else’s growth and development
  • Growth and development for yourself
  • A relationship with a new person
  • Satisfaction of sharing your knowledge and experience
  • Practice in listening and giving feedback
  • Insight on how others struggle with issues and make choices
  • Practice working through issues with others
  • Feedback on how you facilitate growth for others
  • A chance to inspire others

  • Peer to peer mentoring program where mentoring relationships will typically consist of two graduate level students.
  • Mentoring pairs are asked to engage in a mentoring relationship for at least 6 months or one year (this will depend on the agreed upon goals of the relationship).
  • Mentor and Mentee will be paired based on program level and key thematic areas for consideration listed below. 
  • Mentoring pairs will be asked to develop a mentoring agreement at the start of their relationship by establishing time (duration of most meetings), role expectations, communication, feedback, and closure of the mentoring relationship. 
  • Initial meetings should also dedicate time to discuss SMART goals for the pair. 
  • Both mentee and mentor will complete a worksheet identifying some strengths, challenges, and a personal vision. These worksheets will be shared among the mentoring pairs.
  • Mentoring pairs should be “meeting” at least 2-4 times each month.
  • Over the course of the year, the mentoring pairs will receive specialized resources that can help further develop the mentoring relationship.  

From “Mentorship: A Student Success Strategy Mentoring Program Toolkit, 3rd Edition; April 2017” by B. Choi and L. Zachary, Copyright 2012-2017, p. 14.

Mentors and mentees will be paired based on the following thematic areas:

  1. Academic Excellence: Strategies for enhancing academic performance and engaging in effective study habits.
  2. Leadership Development: Tools and best practices for cultivating leadership skills pertinent to the student’s future career goals.
  3. Educational Planning: Orientation towards setting and achieving long-term educational and professional goals.

  1. December 2: Launch call for mentor and mentee applications.
  2. January 10: Deadline to submit mentor and mentee applications.
  3. January 13-17: Mentor Matching 
  4. January 20: Welcome Communication to Mentee and Mentor Pairs 
  5. Early May: Staff Check-In
  6. Early August: Finalize mentoring relationship. Determine whether to continue.  
  7. August 11: Mentoring Evaluation