What makes a good mentor?

mentor3-1Close, individual mentoring is a hallmark of the Coastal and Environmental Fellows Program and sets it apart from other undergraduate opportunities. Through this program, students receive the training they need to undertake the complex environmental and societal issues facing scientists today.

Students value their interactions with faculty, staff, and professionals. In speaking with previous fellows, we have found that the best mentors demonstrate the following characteristics.

  • meet frequently with students on a formal or informal basis during the fellowship period.
  • are enthusiastic about the projects they assign.
  • offer students a clearly defined role in the project.
  • give students a sense of the big picture, while assigning smaller, more manageable tasks.
  • treat students as professional team members, by giving them true responsibility and holding them to high expectations.
  • show appreciation for student work and value students for their contribution.
  • offer students information about career opportunities by exposing them to other professionals and networking resources.