Selection of Academic Mentors

To identify a student academic mentor for one of your courses, we recommend that you consider students who you know and who have been impressed with in class or advising settings. Students may contact you to say they are interested in working with you as a student academic mentor. You make all final decisions about who will be academic mentors for your classes.

Based on experience, we have found that effective academic mentors typically have the following characteristics:

• Interest in the course content.
• Confidence and interest in initiating relationships with students in the class.
• Approachability and openness to engaging with students from a variety of backgrounds.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a faculty member.
• Ability to commit to spending at least 6 hours a week (which would include attending two class sessions) to their work as an academic mentor.
• When possible, previous class experience with the faculty member.

If you are interested in working with a student academic mentor but have difficulty identifying someone, please consult with other faculty members in your department who may have advisees they would recommend. The Student Academic Mentor program staff is also available to assist with mentor selection as needed.