The Graduate Mentoring Center at Indiana University
Effective mentorship is considered one of the hallmarks of programs that successfully educate students through to PhD degree completion. Mentorship has multiple dimensions. It often refers to individuals including faculty, the Principal Investigator, or fellow graduate students. Or it may refer to the availability of mentoring services such as skills workshops, or training to enter traditional and nontraditional professions.
Provision of effective mentoring is crucial, especially in the early stages of a student’s career. The Graduate Mentoring Center provides students with support and guidance as they endure the rigors of their graduate programs. Successful mentoring relies on the cooperation of multiple constituencies, all of which are important in affecting the success of the graduate experience. While all faculty function as advisors, few faculty are trained to be effective mentors, and even fewer are likely to be familiar with unique aspects of mentoring URM students. For this reason, it is vital that we provide students with a place to receive the skills and mentorship they deserve to grow and be successful in their academic careers and beyond. At Indiana University, that place is the Graduate Mentoring Center.
