By Rachael Cooper
Rachael is a 2nd year PhD Student in Water Resources Engineering at the University of South Florida. She is the FY21 Communication Mentoring Coordinator (CMC).
The 2021 spring enrollment for GradSWE mentoring program came to a close last week, and now the matching process has begun! Last semester the mentoring program shifted the matching process. Before the Fall 2020 semester all matches were done individually by the mentoring coordinators. In Fall 2020, the program shifted to a mentee-selection matching process. Students seeking mentors now are asked to self select and rank preferences of the mentors enrolled in the program. All personal information is kept private during ranking. Selecting a mentor can be overwhelming in any context, but a mentor-mentee relationship is unique to the individuals in it. The process allows the mentee to select mentors they would like to get to know during the current semester instead of a mentoring coordinator making the decision on their behalf. It is highly recommended to make a mentor selection based on who you would like to get to know, not based on a similar educational background.
Once the matching process ends (This semester it is March 18th!), and matches are finalized. The mentee and mentor will be given contact and personal information to reach out via email. Mentees are advised to reach out to mentors ASAP to introduce themselves virtually, and move forward with determining the best form and frequency of communication.
The primary goal of the GradSWE Mentoring Team is for current and prospective graduate students to have a positive mentoring match from the program. For anyone who has enrolled in the program this semester as a mentee or protegee and would like assistance during the matching process please virtually stop by our virtual office hours tonight, March 11th, and/or next week March 18th from 7:30-8:00 pm MST. Links have been provided via email.
The mentoring coordinators can also be reached at any time via email at gradswementoring@gmail.com or via the GradSWE Slack in the #mentoring channel or by DM.
For a great list of resources, tools, and information available to assist in selecting and building a strong mentee/mentor relationship check out the SWE Mentoring Page.
Rachael is a 2nd year PhD Student in Water Resources Engineering at the University of South Florida. She is the FY21 Communication Mentoring Coordinator (CMC).
The 2021 spring enrollment for GradSWE mentoring program came to a close last week, and now the matching process has begun! Last semester the mentoring program shifted the matching process. Before the Fall 2020 semester all matches were done individually by the mentoring coordinators. In Fall 2020, the program shifted to a mentee-selection matching process. Students seeking mentors now are asked to self select and rank preferences of the mentors enrolled in the program. All personal information is kept private during ranking. Selecting a mentor can be overwhelming in any context, but a mentor-mentee relationship is unique to the individuals in it. The process allows the mentee to select mentors they would like to get to know during the current semester instead of a mentoring coordinator making the decision on their behalf. It is highly recommended to make a mentor selection based on who you would like to get to know, not based on a similar educational background.
Once the matching process ends (This semester it is March 18th!), and matches are finalized. The mentee and mentor will be given contact and personal information to reach out via email. Mentees are advised to reach out to mentors ASAP to introduce themselves virtually, and move forward with determining the best form and frequency of communication.
The primary goal of the GradSWE Mentoring Team is for current and prospective graduate students to have a positive mentoring match from the program. For anyone who has enrolled in the program this semester as a mentee or protegee and would like assistance during the matching process please virtually stop by our virtual office hours tonight, March 11th, and/or next week March 18th from 7:30-8:00 pm MST. Links have been provided via email.
The mentoring coordinators can also be reached at any time via email at gradswementoring@gmail.com or via the GradSWE Slack in the #mentoring channel or by DM.
For a great list of resources, tools, and information available to assist in selecting and building a strong mentee/mentor relationship check out the SWE Mentoring Page.
