When they think about mentoring, students typically think about finding people with the right expertise, emotional intelligence, professional networks, and time (among other qualities) to guide them through the graduate school experience and beyond. All of these are great things to consider and picking the right mentor(s) is undeniably one of the keys to success in your graduate program and beyond.

Equally important, however, is the question: “How can I be a good mentee?” The research is clear that the best mentoring relationships are reciprocal. In other words, they depend on mentors providing support, expertise, and time, but also mentees taking responsibility for their own success. This agency can take the form of preparation, the setting of realistic expectations, and the development of trust numerous other things, but the key is that a good mentee helps create a relationship where mentorship can thrive.

Guiding Your Own Success is a seminar that discusses the elements of good menteeship and strategies for achieving it, as well as ways to get the most out of the mentorship resources available throughout the University and in your department.

Next session TBA.