The role of a mentor is critical for both the enjoyment and successful completion of a graduate program. As a result, developing mentorship skills can have a direct impact on student attrition and improve the overall university learning experience.
While advising tends to focus on more programmatic elements of the university experience (i.e., what classes to take, the steps required for the degree) mentoring is more holistic in that it includes both functions and behaviors. Essential functions and behaviors of a mentor include, but are not limited to the following:
Essential Functions of a Mentor
- Provides reliable information on courses/programs/research issues
- Introduces the mentee to the social norms of the department, discipline, and profession
- Serves as a role model regarding research, instruction, and service
- Supports the welfare of students
Essential Behaviors of a Mentor
- Accessible
- Approachable
- Trusting
- Reliable
- Consistent
- Good listener
Maintaining the Mentor-Mentee Relationship
The mentor-mentee relationship needs to be built and maintained. It is expected that the nature of the relationship will change over time as the graduate students become more fully integrated into the department and profession. During the course of the graduate student journey, it is recommended that the mentee and mentor meet on a regular basis to discuss the student's progress and needs.
At the outset, the mentor and mentee should discuss appropriate types of communication, which may include face-to-face meetings, email, or phone, types of feedback, how often that feedback will occur, etc.
Resources to Develop Strong Mentor-Mentee Relationships
The CIMER mentorship training program accelerates the process of becoming an effective mentor by introducing a mentorship framework and providing opportunities to become familiar with different aspects of mentorship. The training program allows new and experienced mentors to benefit from each other’s perspectives as well as extended time for reflection on fundamental principles of mentoring.
We also recommend that mentors and mentees review the material below.
- Graduate Student Mentoring Guide: A Guide for Students (PDF)
- How to Mentor Graduate Students: A Guide for Faculty (PDF)
Additional Mentorship Resources (relevant for NSF proposals)
The CHIPS act, section 7008(a) requires that all proposals submitted to NSF after May 20, 2024 that include support for graduate students must include a mentoring plan (1 page), described in NSF PAPPG 24-1. All annual and final reports of projects with substantial support for graduate students (translates into ~½ semester at 20h/week) must certify that students had an individual development plan (IDP). Note that the same mentoring plan can be developed for graduate students and postdocs.
Several publications from the Council of Graduate Schools, the National Academies (e.g., Graduate STEM Education for the 21st century, 2018), and NSF, have noted the importance and value of creating solid mentorship plans for graduate students, as part of a healthy and productive research environment and promoting successful student outcomes.
This document, developed by the Office of Graduate Education and the Research Office, is intended to support principal investigators in crafting effective mentorship plans, and directs faculty and students to take advantage of the portfolio of mentorship activities available for consideration. The first section, which is intended to be submitted with a proposal, is a description of mentorship at OSU. The second section contains three separate tools designed to support faculty and students in the development of mentorship plans.