Student-Mentor
Relationships
Helen C. Harton
Professor of Psychology
harton@uni.edu
What is a mentor, and why do I
need one?
Could be academic advisor, thesis
supervisor, graduate coordinator, or other
faculty member
 Can be a formal or informal relationship
 People who are mentored are generally
more successful
 Remember that you don’t have to get
everything from one person

A good mentor should…
Spend time with you
 Provide you with feedback
 Provide you with information/resources
 Support you and be willing to go to bat for
you
 Help you find useful
experiences/colleagues

How should you choose a
mentor?

Things to consider about yourself
– Research/scholarly interests
– Current level of knowledge/skills
– Timetable
– What and how much support you need

Things to consider about the mentor
– Availability
– Reputation
– Track record
– Personality
Talk to advanced students about potential
mentors
 Fit is everything!

How can you be a good
mentee?
Communicate clearly about expectations
 Be respectful of their time
 Be respectful of their feedback
 Trust that they know more than you, at
least about some things
 Know what their pet peeves are
 Come with solutions, not problems

Admit your mistakes
 Don’t assume they can read your mind
 Be pleasant to work with
 Be independent but not too independent
 Plan on revisions
 Realize faculty are human and have
outside lives too

What should you do if it’s not
working
Be open and communicate with the
mentor first
 Be careful with email (though it can be
helpful in documentation)
 Don’t escalate
 Check with others to make sure you’re
seeing things accurately

If it’s still bad…
Exploitation
 Harassment
 Talk to someone you trust (e.g., grad
coordinator, department head) and if that
person doesn’t listen, find someone else
 Keep in mind that some faculty are
obligated to report sexual harassment

Remember
You don’t HAVE to have a mentor
 Your ideal mentor may actually be outside
your department or a peer
 Don’t get discouraged—there are people
out there who’d love to help you succeed
and are a good fit for your needs and
interests.
