Role and Responsibility of Professional Mentors

“Students in the traditional college age group… make many changes in how they think, how they feel, what they believe, what they value, and how they act in the world” (Ender & Newton 2000).  As such, the role of the Professional Mentor is to help students navigate the challenges of those changes in order to achieve personal and professional growth. 

General Roles of Professional Mentors

As a general rule it is assumed that in committing yourself to the mentoring program you will serves as:

• A special and trusting person who, knowing more through experience, commits his/her time, attention and energy to assist a less knowing student.
• A facilitator who creates and maintains an environment that is conducive to the learning of mentees.
• A facilitator of learning in such a way that knowledge, skills, or abilities connect to action in the present and possibly in the future.
• A developer of a learning-based mentoring relationship which fosters mentee growth, responsibility, and independence.
• A role model who is admired, observed, and emulated for your special qualities by participants.

Adapted from the Mentor’s Guide by L. S. Zachary

Responsibilities of Active Professional Mentor

Specifically, by committing to actively mentor one or more participants you will:

• Attend Professional Mentors’ Welcome Back Meeting/Training at the beginning of each semester.
• Attend the Ujima Ladies’ Tea Opening Ceremony or the Male Component Opening Ceremony.
• Complete a Mentor/Mentee Contract with each mentee in which they outline a set of clear achievable short term goals for the course of the academic year.
• Support mentees with gaining knowledge and understanding of their academic requirements.
• Introduce mentees to career possibilities available to them in the student’s chosen major.
• Support mentees with networking and building relationships with faculty and staff.
• Support mentees in understanding their rights and responsibilities as a student.
• Support mentees with personal difficulties as they arise.
• Support mentees in understanding the importance of graduate and professional degrees.
• Serve as a lifeline, go-to-person, and general sounding board for mentees.
• Meet with mentees (formally or informally) at least four times during the course of each semester.
• Meet with mentees and their respective peer-mentees at least once during the course of each semester.
• Assist with assessment of the program by completing and submitting Mentor/Mentee Meeting Logs monthly to documenting meetings with mentees.
• Invite and participate in at least one mentoring program event or activity with mentees (i.e. workshops, educational trip, or mentors vs. mentees game night).
• Attend the Professional Mentor/Potential Mentee Meet and Greet Luncheon at the end of the spring semester.