GNSA Mentoring Program

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. 

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.