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Make the Most of Mentoring

 

 

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Make the Most of Mentoring

 

College is a time for exploring new opportunities, meeting new people, and learning about new ideas. It’s also a time to start creating connections with people who can provide you with the support and guidance you need to move toward your ultimate career goals. Experienced and trusted advisors — or mentors — can be hard to find, but they are invaluable resources. Here are some ways to find the right mentor and make the most of the relationship.

 

Identify Why You Want a Mentor

Every student has different goals, so before you start looking for an actual mentor, you need to determine why YOU want one. Are you looking for someone who can help you pursue a professional career path? Someone who can help you navigate the rigors of an intense major or concentration? Or someone who can help you just figure out your next steps?

 

You’ll also want to ask yourself what you hope to gain from being mentored, and what you can bring to the relationship (at its best, mentoring is a two-way street). Once you know the answers to some of the questions above, you’ll have a more defined idea of why you want a mentor, and once you’ve created a more targeted approach to finding the right mentor, it’ll be easier to identify the right one(s).

 

Don’t Limit Yourself to One Kind of Mentor

People often think that a mentor needs to be someone who is significantly older than they are with years of experience and vast industry connections. But don’t limit yourself to thinking that your mentor has to fit this mold. Mentors come in all shapes and sizes. Your perfect mentor might be another student a year ahead of you in your major, or an approachable professor outside your major. What matters most is that you find a mentor who can help you along your journey, whatever path you take.

 

You may also find that you need more than one mentor — that’s not a bad thing! That student a year ahead can help you with your course loads and schoolwork, but the manager at your student employment job can help you learn about life as a working professional. Use all the resources at your disposal, and be open to working with mentors with different experiences and skills.

 

 

ON TOPIC

Lakita Maulson, University of Wisconsin
School of Medicine and Public Health

Lakita Maulson, second from left, with fellow SHPEP participants

A member of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Nation of northern Wisconsin, Lakita Maulson earned her BS in kinesiology, and is now a rising fourth-year medical student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She is currently on a gap year pursuing an MBA. Maulson participated in the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) during the summer of 2012 at the University of Washington in Seattle. SHPEP is a free summer enrichment opportunity focused on improving access to information and resources for college students interested in the health professions. The program’s goal is to strengthen the academic proficiency and career development of students underrepresented in the health professions, and prepare them for successfully applying to and succeeding at health professions schools. SHPEP is a national program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). To learn more, visit .

 

“This program was one of the most formative experiences of my undergraduate career,” Maulson says. “It provided me with many opportunities to shadow and be mentored by some great physicians, and it immersed me within a space where underrepresented students like me, from a disadvantaged background, could come together to learn more about what it means to pursue a career in health care. I've met my best friends through this program, so I highly encourage anyone and everyone to apply to this fantastic program!”

 

Do (or did) you have a mentor?

I’ve had many mentors throughout my years on the challenging path to becoming a physician. I didn’t know anyone within health care growing up, so I needed to gain mentors along the way to help steer me in the right direction. It was challenging to find mentors who fit what I was looking for at times, especially since American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) physicians are few and far between. But participating in programs such as SHPEP was an excellent way to meet mentors outside the American Indian community who were just as dedicated to helping individuals like me succeed.

 

PRE-COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES

 

The National Security Agency Gifted and Talented Program is only open to high school seniors. The program is designed for students who have demonstrated an aptitude for engineering, science, technology, and mathematics. Students work 10 to 12 weeks during the summer following their senior year.

 

CATALYST Academy is a one-week residential program for rising high school juniors and seniors from underrepresented backgrounds who desire to learn about engineering and careers within an interactive milieu.

 

CURIE Academy is a one-week residential program for high school girls who excel in math and science. The focus is on rising juniors and seniors who may not have had prior opportunities to explore engineering but want to learn more about it in an interactive atmosphere.

 

The HDTC-SIP is a paid internship for diverse students who are interested in Health Disparities in underrepresented communities and neuroscience research. HDTC-SIP interns will work with mentors in the NINDS Division of Intramural Research (DIR) in an environment devoted to the study of fundamental elements of the nervous system, neurological processes, neurodegenerative diseases, movement disorders, brain cancer, and stroke.

 

 


UNDERGRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES

 

Department of Astronomy, Cornell University

Students will work on individual research projects with Cornell faculty and research staff on a wide range of topics in planetary science, solar system exploration, astrobiology, exoplanets, radio, infrared and radar astronomy, and related theoretical topics as well as astronomical instrumentation. Students interested in computer science and engineering are also encouraged to apply.

 

Are you looking for a cybersecurity internship that will challenge you and provide real opportunities to apply the skills that you are learning in college? GEICO’s Cybersecurity Summer Internship in the Washington, D.C., area will do all this and more!

 

The Raytheon CCDC Women’s Cyber Security Scholarship is the latest of the company’s efforts aimed at developing global cyber talent. Up to two scholarships will be awarded to two women participating in the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.

 

The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) is a 10-week, paid summer internship that seeks diverse undergraduate and graduate college students with high academic standing at elite institutions. NDIP participants contribute to the complex motorsports workforce, learn from leading sports executives in weekly Lunch and Learns, and network with industry professionals.

 

The Institute for Scientist and Engineer Educators and the University of California, Berkeley are pleased to announce the new 2020 AstroTech Summer School to be held at UC Berkeley, July 20–24, 2020. A core goal of AstroTech is to help reverse the underrepresentation of people of color, women and gender minorities, and other marginalized groups in astronomy instrumentation.

 

The WW Graduate School is a new kind of master’s degree in education. It’s personalized to a candidate’s skills and knowledge. It focuses on what they need to know to meet the challenges of today’s classrooms — and to shape tomorrow’s classrooms.

 

New York, N.Y. – Science Publishing Group

We invite scholars and researchers to submit papers to the journals or to join the editorial board or reviewer team.

 

College Park Md. – APS Guest Speaker Grant

Physics and physical science departments at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) or community colleges can apply for a $1,000 grant to bring guest speakers to their institution for colloquium or seminar presentations. This is a unique opportunity for students to gain exposure to the breadth of physics research. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis.

 

Denver, Colo.

The Environmental Stewardship of Indigenous Lands (ESIL) certificate is an exciting new educational opportunity at the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver), where the term Indigenous includes Native American, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hawaiian Native. This first-of-its-kind program provides training, internships, and job placement opportunities for students interested in environmental issues involving tribal and non-tribal entities.

 

The program creates novel research experiences for undergrad students from around the country in the areas of biological materials and processes. Students are active members of interdisciplinary groups and interact with faculty, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students, and industry professionals. Students may also participate in cohort experiences, such as joint seminars and meetings.

 

GO PLACES WITH AISES

 

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The current AISES Internship Opportunities are the , the , the and the .

 

Each year AISES recognizes outstanding individual achievement through the Professional Awards Program. AISES needs your help in nominating candidates who are deserving of recognition and who have done substantial work to advance programs and opportunities for Indigenous students and professionals in STEM education and careers.

 

Student Representatives evaluate common issues and concerns and make recommendations for ways to improve AISES’ member services. Be a voice for students in your region and work with others to make positive changes in AISES!

 

Every spring the seven Regional Conferences bring student and professional members together to champion each other and expand their knowledge and skills through a wide variety of workshops and sessions. Make your plans now to attend a regional conference and build a foundation that will enhance your STEM education and experience this year, and well into the future.

 

February 16-18

Temecula, Calif.

This popular AISES program is perfect for students from high school through postdoctoral — as well as emerging and mature STEM professionals — who want to develop their ability to lead with confidence.

 

The 2020 NAISEF will be both an in-person and virtual science fair held at Oklahoma State University on April 4. NAISEF winners will receive cash prizes and the Grand Award winner for the Senior Division will receive a chance to participate in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair that takes place May 10-15 in Anaheim, Calif.

 

The 26th Annual Special College issue has always included articles focused on paths to higher education. This year we've included a feature article on what's new, and what's not new, in . A second feature examines how to manage your way through .

 

is *FREE* for pre-college and college students NOW! Join us!

 

SAVE THE DATE

 

Oct. 15–17, 2020

Spokane, Wash.

Feb. 16–18, 2020

Temecula, Calif.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT

 

Getting the Most from a Mentor

RESOURCES FOR AISES MEMBERS

 

Looking for guidance on your next academic move or targeting your career track? Check in with an where you can meet someone willing to serve as your mentor and set you on a path to the future you've been working toward.

 

ONLINE RESOURCES

GRADUATE/POSTDOCTORAL OPPORTUNITIES

 

The Institute for Scientist and Engineer Educators and the University of California, Berkeley are pleased to announce the new 2020 AstroTech Summer School to be held at UC Berkeley, July 20–24, 2020. A core goal of AstroTech is to help reverse the underrepresentation of people of color, women and gender minorities, and other marginalized groups in astronomy instrumentation.

 

Madison, Wis. – Multiple positions are available. Interns will work in the Forest Service Products Laboratory and in the field with a supervisor. The selected interns will work under the direction of an FPL scientist (or researcher). They will assist with projects conducted in the FPL’s new structural testing laboratory and/or at field work sites; typical tasks will involve testing and computer data analysis.

 

This program provides funding for American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students conducting scientific research under the supervision of an academic mentor.

 

Las Vegas, Nev. – Two positions are available with AISES partner, BMM Test Labs. The internships are located in Las Vegas, Nev. The Intern will assist test engineers as part of a team responsible for: assessing gaming technology integrity, accountability and functionality; performing statistical analysis of gaming device and game probabilities; reviewing gaming device and system source code; and assisting with the development of testing procedures.

 

New York, N.Y. – Science Publishing Group

We invite scholars and researchers to submit papers to journals or to join the editorial board or reviewer team.

 

College Park, Md. – APS Guest Speaker Grant. Physics and physical science departments at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) or community colleges can apply for a $1,000 grant to bring guest speakers to their institution for colloquium or seminar presentations.

 

 

 

 

 

OUR MISSION: The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is a national nonprofit organization focused on substantially increasing the representation of American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, First Nations, and other Indigenous peoples of North America in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers.

 

Paths to Opportunities and Winds of Change are published exclusively by AISES.

 

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