Mentoring
Hillary N. Fouts, Ph.D.
Dean of the Graduate SchoolWelcome to the Graduate Student Mentoring Site
Mentorship is a vital part of graduate education—whether you're pursuing a master's degree or doctorate, whether in a research or practicum-based program. Strong, supportive mentoring relationships provide guidance, encouragement, and inspiration to help students navigate their graduate studies and realize their academic and professional goals.
This page is designed to support both students and faculty in fostering meaningful mentoring experiences. Here, you'll find tools, best practices, and guidance tailored to the various needs of our graduate community.
The Graduate School is deeply committed to promoting a culture of collaborative and supportive mentorship. We believe that strong mentoring is key to student success in academia and beyond. Building and sustaining this culture requires the active engagement of our entire community—students, faculty, and staff alike. Through shared commitment and partnership, we can ensure that graduate student mentoring is inclusive, impactful and empowering.
Graduate Mentoring: Vision and Mission
Vision:
The UCCS Graduate School will be recognized for its support and commitment to student and faculty mentoring to promote inclusive excellence in graduate and post-baccalaureate training in its many forms.
Mission:
The mission of the UCCS Graduate School is to provide innovative and inclusive resources, support, and guidance to support development of meaningful professional relationships between graduate students, faculty, and academic programs to foster professional development and student-faculty success.
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Mentorship Principles
Introduction:
A critical aspect of developing a strong working relationship with your mentor is to establish expectations of what it means to have a productive relationship: what is a good mentor? And how can I be a good mentee who can maximize the benefit of this professional relationship? There are some ground rules that must be established to provide a strong foundation to this relationship between a mentor and a mentee.
Mentor-mentee relationships are reciprocal and should be mutually beneficial.
Set rules for establishing trust.
Be intentional and honest about seeking a mentoring relationship.
Collectively set expectations for the relationship.
Discuss the goals of your partnership and what you hope to gain from active collaboration.
Act with integrity, honesty, flexibility, kindness, and professionalism.
Be clear about professional goals. Find mentors who can support these goals.
Seek specific feedback.
Cultivate empowered relationships with others.
Support growth and learning (including your own).
Develop and engage critical self-awareness.
Enhance your interpersonal skills.
We acknowledge the work of Elon University, www.educause.edu, and the University of Georgia Guiding Mentorship Principles.
As mentors and mentees engage in these professional relationships, remember that it takes work to be a good mentor and a good mentee.
Mentors and mentees are not static professionals, and as each person changes and develops in response to learning how to be better in their respective roles within a university environment, remember the golden rules of mentor-mentee relationships.