CSE Mentor Program: Guidelines
An undergraduate woman and an older woman smile together at an event

 

Welcome, students and mentors!

A strong mentoring partnership can give students a lasting professional network and an insider’s perspective on attending graduate school or navigating a future career. 

Here are guidelines for a successful partnership:
Expectations
Timeline
Mentoring Phases
SMART Goals
Virtual Meeting Tips

You're a participant. Now what?

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Expectations

Maintain regular contact

You and your partner should commit to being in contact a minimum of twice a month from October to April. We encourage the student to be responsible for reaching out and contacting their mentor to schedule meetings. Although email is an important tool, it cannot substitute for actual, real-time conversations. Try to connect in person, on the phone, or over a video chat as much as possible.

Be responsive

You are both expected to return calls and emails in a timely manner to each other and to the CSE Mentor Program administrator. Life can get busy — consider creating reminders to check your email and joining the CSE Mentor Program LinkedIn group to stay on top of your partnership.

Receive feedback

Receiving feedback that is candid and delivered in a thoughtful and constructive way is a skill that can be hard to learn. It’s important that students be open to receiving feedback and that mentors model good behavior through open discussion.

Participate in self-reflection and self-development

In order to ensure that we continue to build a strong program that is beneficial to both students and mentors, we require that participants complete an evaluation survey at the end of the program.

Honor commitments

In order to ensure that we continue to build a strong program that is beneficial to both students and mentors, we require that participants complete an evaluation survey at the end of the program.

Evaluate

In order to ensure that we continue to build a strong program that is beneficial to both students and mentors, we require that participants complete an evaluation survey at the end of the program.

Timeline

  • FALL, OCTOBER
    Plan on being in contact at least twice a month in person, by email, phone, or video conference! Face-to-face conversations are important to a new mentor relationship—so plan on video conferences if you’re unable to meet in person.

  • WINTER, NOVEMBER-JANUARY
    Connect with your partner at least SIX times to work on your SMART goals and accomplish your action steps. Connecting can mean meeting in person, meeting virtually, sending an email, or having phone calls with your partner.

NOTE: 

  • Once you receive your match, connect—either at the our "Meet Your Partner Event" or on your own—and watch the Kickoff recording AND complete your Mentoring Partnership Agreement.

  • Email your partnership agreement to [email protected] or drop it off at 105 Lind Hall by the given deadline.

Mentoring Phases

Students in the CSE Mentor Program may all be at different points along their career journey. 

While some are ready to interview for jobs and internships, some still need to explore careers that exist in their majors; others are focused on graduate school, looking for research opportunities, or looking outside of their immediate field.

Mentors can help navigate much of this uncertainty. 

Below are a few types of mentoring phases—and guidelines to tackle each stage.

Three young individuals gather around a table, engaged in crafting activities.

The mentoring journey isn’t a straight path that starts in the fall and ends in spring. You may move through it in many ways.

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Career Exploration

  • Help your protégé explore career options in their major/specialty.
    • Encourage them make an appointment with Career Services.
    • Visit and tour various workplaces—and connect them with colleagues, if possible.
    • Identify alumni in their major for informational interviews, if possible.
       
  • Help your protégé explore graduate school options.
    • Encourage them to meet with their academic advisor.
    • Look into graduate school options together—and discuss the pros and cons.
    • Share your own experience around—deciding whether or not to attend—graduate school.
       
  • Guide your protégé to identify companies in their field and the types of jobs that exist there.
     
  • Take skills aptitude tests together and discuss your results—and how you see those skills in your current position.

The Job Hunt

  • Review your mentee’s resume and practice interviewing.

  • Encourage your mentee to attend the fall or spring CSE Career Fair.

    • Practice their elevator pitch with them and discuss how to approach or talk to recruiters.

  • Help your mentee set up informational interviews at companies they are interested in.

  • Help your mentee identify industry networking events and opportunities that you can attend together.

  • Help your mentee understand how to develop and maintain professional relationships.

You’ve got a job, now what?

  • Work with your mentee to identify weaknesses in their transferable skills and create an improvement plan.

    • Improve communication and leadership skills.

    • Focus on public speaking skills, team work, or dealing with difficult situations in a professional manner.

  • Discuss what "professionalism" means in varying situations.

  • Discuss how to communicate in the workplace.

  • Discuss how to succeed in your first job/internship.

Life beyond the job

  • Help your protégé work on time management and prioritization skills

  • If your mentee is focused on academic success, break down what that means and create a plan to succeed.

  • Help your mentee find research opportunities in their department.

  • Discuss stress management techniques and how to balance work and life.

  • Talk about what life after graduation is like—and answer questions about how to succeed outside of college.

SMART goals—for the student

Before you meet your mentor for the first time, think about what you want to get out of the partnership. Setting some preliminary goals is a necessary first step!

Then, in that first meeting, create three goals for the year and discuss how to accomplish them. Your goals should be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Think beyond “get a job” and drill down into actionable steps. 

If you’re not sure where to start breaking down a goal into actionable items, ask your mentor for advice.

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What are SMART goals?

Specific

The goal statement should be concrete and action-oriented. What specifically are you trying to accomplish?

Measurable

How will you know when you have achieved the goal? How will you track and measure progress? How is success defined?

Achievable

The goal should require work, but be attainable.Is the goal too big or too small?

Realistic

Do you have the ability and commitment to reach the goal? What additional resources of time, money, or capability will be needed to reach the goal?

Timely

There should be a specific time-frame for achieving the goal.

Potential goal-setting focus areas

  • Develop professional expertise in a specific area of focus.

  • Work on a specific academic goal, such as a research project or grant proposal.

  • Develop leadership skills.

  • Develop communication skills.

  • Explore personal interests and abilities.

  • Develop organizational skills.

  • Explore future career paths and opportunities.

  • Practice resume and cover letter writing or interview skills.

SMART goal examples

Example 1: Find a summer internship

Action steps for this goal may include:

  1. 1.Have my mentor review my draft resume by Thanksgiving.

  2. Conduct at least TWO practice interviews by December 31.

  3. Identify THREE potential internships for next summer and talk to CSE Career Services about the application process, by the start of the spring semester.

  4. Meet with at least ONE student who interned at each place I am interested in applying—to learn more about their experience by the application deadline.

Example 2: Improve my communication skills

Action steps for this goal may include:

  1. Each week, during the fall semester, respond once or more to a Professor or TA’s call for volunteers during class (make it a different class each week).

  2. Volunteer to be the note taker or reporter for one of your lab groups or small groups during the fall semester. Dedicate a meeting with your mentor to discussing professional communications.

  3. Hold at least one phone meeting with your mentor during the winter to practice professional phone communication.

  4. Request and follow through with an informational interview during the spring semester, with a contact from your mentor. Prior to the interview, dedicate a meeting with your mentor to prepare and practice.

Mentoring Partnership Agreement

IMPORTANT: Please make sure your Mentoring Partnership Agreement (fillable PDF) reflects what you discussed and agreed upon!

Need to print one out? Use this Mentoring Partnership Agreement (print PDF) version.

Virtual mentoring tips

  • Make it personal.
    While email is an important way to stay connected, face-to-face real-time interaction is key to establishing a trusting mentoring relationship. Try to connect over a video chat or the phone as much as possible, if you’re unable to meet in person.

  • Know your options.
    Though there are many platforms and tools for virtual meetings, please note that students have access to Google Meet and Zoom through their U of M accounts—and may be most comfortable with those options. For technical support with Google Meet and Zoom, visit the Office of Informational Technology website.

  • Be prepared.
    Have an agenda for each meeting and share any essential information beforehand. For example, if you’re asking for a resume review, be sure to share your resume in advance.

  • Consistency is key.
    Create recurring meetings or schedule your next meeting at the end of each one.

  • Stay focused and minimize distractions.
    It’s easy to be distracted in a virtual setting when you’re using your computer. Close down other windows and silence notifications during your meetings—so that you’re focused on your partner.

  • Keep sharing and asking for feedback.
    As your relationship evolves, your needs may change. Check in with each other and make sure you’re still on the same page.

  • Stay engaged.
    Give thoughtful answers and thank your partner for sharing ideas. Let your partner know that you’re enjoying getting to know each other. Some of the visual cues we use to show engagement are harder to see in a virtual setting—so get used to saying things out loud.

  • Reach out to us.
    CSE Mentor Program administrators are here for you, if you’re having trouble connecting with your partner. Contact Katie Sobolewski at 612-624-6694 or email ksobo@umn edu.

Video resources

Know the value of your STEM degree

Campus resources

See a list of college and University-wide services at the Campus Resources for Mentors and Students website.

Tips to optimize your job search

Sample language

Students: For sample language or what to say when contacting your mentor, see the CSE Mentor Program How to Guide for Students website.

Tips to expand your network

LinkedIn group

Connect with current and former CSE Mentor Program participants on the CSE Mentor Program LinkedIn group. (We also post program info on there!)