Reaching Out

On Friday we had the privilege of hosting a panel discussion on mentoring with three really amazing CMU faculty members.  Dr. Phame Camarena, Dr. Claudia Douglass and Dr. Michelle Steinhilb all shared their stories of having instrumental mentors (whether they knew it at the time or not) along their educational and professional journeys as well as their experiences mentoring students.  Candid with their advice, I think the primary message is to be open to finding mentoring opportunities in lots of different places and don't be afraid to reach out to others.  You never know when someone will end up being a pivotal force in your life.

Another key point emphasized by all of our panel members is being proactive in fostering mentoring relationships early on in your undergraduate career.  No matter what trajectory you follow once you complete your bachelor's, chances are, you will need people (read: more than just one person) to vouch for your character, provide a reference for a job or write a letter of recommendation for graduate school.  Becoming connected with faculty (beyond just attending their class) can often lead to mutually beneficial relationships - especially if you are assisting a faculty member with their research and doing a really awesome job!

The take home:

• Develop mentoring relationships with as many individuals as you think you need
• Be open and curious 
• Be super respectful and always work hard
• Say thank you - a lot!
• Be yourself and ask lots of questions

Mentors

In the McNair experience, mentors are front and central.  They are an integral part of the experience because they provide expertise, offer support and encouragement, and many times, open doors of opportunity that might seem impossible today.  It’s not to say that the mentor relationship can “make or break you” – but having a good one can make all the difference.

A good mentor will:

• Teach you how to do research in your field
• Expand your knowledge of the field
• Teach you how to ask questions – good questions!
• Model what it’s like to be a professional in the field
• Lend their expertise, wisdom and insights
• Share their experiences and relate them to your own
• Challenge and support you at the same time
• Give you constructive feedback and encourage you to do more
• Connect you with colleagues and other professionals to help you network
• Help you figure out your path
• Help you make good choices about your education and work opportunities
• Call you out when you’re not holding up “your end of the deal”

So, how do you set out to have the best possible mentor relationship?  Well, you try your hardest to be true to yourself, you put forward your energy and enthusiasm, you be respectful and then you let go.  No one has the power to control others.  All you can do is put yourself out there in an honest way and hope that your mentor will be a good fit for you.  And if it’s not?  You move along and find yourself the next mentor who WILL be a great fit for you!

Holding up your end of the deal:

• Connect with your mentor regularly and in person
• Come prepared with a list of 2-3 major items you would like to discuss
• Come prepared with your “homework” or “to do list” completed from your last mentor meeting
• Be honest with your mentor if you are not quite understanding a research task or how it fits within the bigger picture of your project
• It’s useful to step back and review the “big picture” from time to time to make sure it’s fresh in your mind
• BE ON TIME ALL THE TIME!
• Focus on your work together and not personal problems and issues---it’s good to get your know mentor on a personal level (this tends to happen naturally, over a period of time)---but keep the focus of your conversations on your research
• If something isn’t working for you or you can’t make a scheduled meeting, just be honest and get in touch with your mentor well beforehand to discuss
• Make sure you know how your mentor likes to be contacted---mostly through email, have they offered you their cell phone number, do they text?  In general, you should only call/text (if that’s okay with them) during “normal business hours” and not super early in the morning or super late at night!  You can always send an email.
• Go above and beyond.  Let your mentor see your passion by not just doing exactly what they say---take their guidance as a starting point and then run with it---this is truly the basis of a burgeoning researcher at heart!
• Most important: have fun, work hard and enjoy the process…