Having a good mentor, or group of mentors, can make your graduate school experience significantly better. A mentor can be your thesis adviser, members of your thesis committee, other faculty members, or senior members of your lab. Alternatively, learning to be a good mentor, to undergraduates or younger graduate students, is also a valuable skill. For tips on how to find a good mentor, how to successfully work with a mentor, and how to be a good mentor, check out these resources.
Online resources:
- Mentoring Guidelines from the Penn State Graduate School
- Guidelines for advisor-graduate student interactions from the Eberly College of Science
- MentorNet - online mentor matching site
- "Mastering your Ph.D.: Mentors, Leadership, and Community" by Patricia Gosling and Bart Noordam, Science (2007)
- "Content Collection: Mentoring Advice" by Elisabeth Pain, Science (2012) - highlights the best Science Careers articles on mentoring
- "Getting the Mentoring You Need" by Philip S. Clifford, Cynthia N. Fuhrmann, Bill Lindstaedt, and Jennifer A. Hobin, Science (2014)
- "Getting the Most Out of Your Mentoring Relationship", a handbook for women in STEM, by Donna J. Dean (2009)
- "How to Get the Mentoring You Want: A Guide for Graduate Students" from the University of Michigan (2014)
- "Mentor Yourself" by Mary Jane Hurst, Inside Higher Ed (2009)
- "Why You'll Want a Mentor Outside the Ivory Tower, Too" by Robin Wagner, The Chronicle for Higher Education (2001)
Activities:
- Volunteer to be a peer mentor with first-year students in your graduate program -- contact your program chair!
- Get involved with outreach events with student organizations you are part of or with the Eberly College of Science
- Get involved with a mentoring program through Penn State or through your own undergraduate institution
- Volunteer with youth in the community, such as with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America or Centre County Youth Service Bureau
- Talk with your adviser about mentoring a high school or undergraduate student in your lab
- Network with other students, faculty members, invited speakers, and at conferences to find mentors who might be a good fit for you
- If considering a career outside of academia, try to find a mentor in your career of interest