Graduate/Undergraduate Mentoring - Expectations, Tips & Resources

Graduate/Undergraduate Mentoring Program

Mentoring: Expectations, Tips & Resources

In order for the mentoring relationship to be most successful, we offer the following expectations, tips, and resources for both mentors and mentees.

Mentoring Expectations

The Graduate/Undergraduate Mentoring Program has a certain level of minimum participation for both mentors and mentees:

Graduate Mentors are expected to:

Establish the initial contact with your assigned mentee within one week of receiving your assignment via email. Please copy the Mentoring Fellow on this initial contact so that we know you got in touch with your mentee.
Meet in-person with your mentee at least once per semester. To help facilitate these meetings, you can meet at the Graduate Student Center (where both mentor and mentee can enjoy free coffee!) or use our Coffee Talk program, which provides $8 gift cards to local coffee shops.
Maintain regular contact with your mentee (at least two email contacts after your initial in-person meeting), offering support, appropriate advice, and encouragement to your mentee.
Share stories of past academic and career experiences when relevant and valuable, and refer your mentee to outside resources when necessary. See the Penn resources below.
Focus on supporting and reinforcing your mentee’s strengths. Help bring out the positive and potential inherent in your mentee!
Participate in an assessment survey at the end of each semester. Feedback from mentors is invaluable in our efforts to enhance the quality of the mentoring program.
Contact the Grad Center's Mentoring Fellow with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Undergraduate Mentees are expected to:

Respond to the initial contact email from your assigned mentor within a timely fashion.
Respect your mentor’s time. Remember that they are students too and have assignments and deadlines just like you do.
Have reasonable expectations for what your mentoring relationship will be. Graduate student mentors are more than happy to discuss their experiences as students as they relate to looking for grad schools, the application process, classes, research, etc. They are not equipped to be your tutor, editor, or personal counselor. If you need assistance in other areas, please refer to the list of resources below.
Participate in an assessment survey at the end of each semester. Feedback from mentees is invaluable in our assessment efforts to enhance the quality of the mentoring program.
Contact the Grad Center's Mentoring Fellow with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Mentoring Tips & Resources

Tips on connecting and communicating with success:

Listening well is perhaps the most important skill one can have. It is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and improved upon. Be mindful of how effectively you are taking in and processing what it is your mentor/mentee is telling you.
A cornerstone to developing an effective mentoring relationship is the establishment of trust. Trust requires time, patience and commitment. Be honest with your opinions while maintaining sensitivity.

Possible activities for mentor/mentee pairs:

Meet for coffee or lunch (see the Coffee Talk page for details on obtaining gift cards).
Mentors, after checking with your professor first, invite your mentee to a class.
Go to the library together.
Review together the grad school resources at Career Services.

Penn Resources

We realize that mentors may not always know the answers to their mentee’s questions. Please feel free to take advantage of any of the following services at the University:

Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) for research opportunities and funding sources
Career Services for graduate school advisors
Weingarten Learning Resources Center
The Writing Center
Vice Provost for University Life (VPUL)
Office of International Programs

Also, the following document from the University of Pittsburgh offers some suggestions and guidance for thinking about and applying to graduate school. While by no means should this be considered a comprehensive guide, it may be a good starting point.