the family of mentoring activities at the university of minnesota: co-curricular and career based...
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The Family of Mentoring Activities at the University of Minnesota:
Co-Curricular and Career Based Programs in the Support of Developmental
Outcomes 2008 Mentoring Conference
University of New Mexico
Laurie Blank, Student Coordinator, First Year Leadership Institute
Ronald Frazzini, Ph.D., Researcher and Mentor Coordinator
Mallory Marshall, Student Coordinator, LeaderQuest Program
University of MinnesotaStudent Engagement and LeadershipOffice for Student Affairs128 Pleasant Street S.E.Minneapolis, MN 55455
QuestionDoes mentoring support student engagement
and emphasize University Development Outcomes?
–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions
Summary
–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions
The College Career Programs
Biological Sciences
College of Design
College of Education and Human Development
Journalism and Mass Communication
Medical School
Carlson School of ManagementCollege of Liberal Arts
Pharmacy
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
Public HealthInstitute of Technology
Industrial Relations Center - Carlson School of Management
Veterinary medicine
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
40,572 undergraduate students - About 1195 Students participated last year
College Program Goals
• Students have the opportunity to develop a relationship with an alumnus to get career information, professional contacts, and share real world experiences.
• Students get to learn from the professional experiences of their mentors. Mentors get to play a role in training future public health leaders.
• Volunteer professionals in technical fields help students prepare for the transition from the academic environment to the professional world.
• Opportunities to develop professional skills outside the classroom through the guidance of professionals in the community.
Some Snapshots
Alumni Association “Mentor Connection”
• Composed of mentor coordinators from each of the colleges
• Once-a-month sharing of experiences.• Resource for hosting workshops, social
events and mentor /student recognition• “Best Practices”� and training workshops• Recruitment• Mentor guidebook
Summary
–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions
Some Co-Curricular Programs• Programs Centered About Cultural and Youth Based
Organizations– GLBTA Mentoring Programs– Multicultural Family Literacy Program– Midwest Campus Compact Citizen-Scholar Fellows Program
• Faculty to Student Mentoring– McNair Scholars
• President’s Emerging Leaders• Leadership Programs
– First Year Leadership Institute, Tom Burnett Leadership Program– LeaderQuest
• Faculty to Faculty• Veteran’s Transition Group
• Developed and Facilitated by Student Coordinator• Program Goals
– Self-awareness and Critical Thinking– Consider personal values, purpose, morals and ethics, networking,
understanding others, and unraveling complicated social problems
• Mentoring as a Program Element – ‘Triad’ and ‘Dyad’ relationships
• 2004 - 5% Considered this useful• 2007 - Grown to 74%
– Group Mentoring– Accountability Partnership– Mentor from the Community
LeaderQuest ProgramDevelopment
Summary
–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions
Research Relating to Mentoring
– Vincent Tinto, Douglas Guiffrida• Academic and social integration enhances commitment • Motivation of family and friendships
– Dixon Rayle and Chung• “Mattering” decreases feelings of marginality
– Kram, and Girves et al. • Psychosocial and vocational categories of mentoring• Per surveys, psychosocial functions are most important
Engagement with the University
It is proposed that mentoring provides another mechanism for “mattering,”
engagement and emphasis of Developmental Outcomes
Developmental Outcomes• University of Minnesota
– Self Awareness
– Responsibility and Accountability
– Goal Orientation
– Independence and Interdependence
– Resilience
– Appreciation and Differences
– Tolerance of Ambiguity
University of Minnesota Activity Studies
Student Activity
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Hours Attending Class
Organized Extracurricular Hours
Percent with No Extracurricular Activity
Hours Studying per Week
Percent with No Work Hours
Percent with 20 or More Work Hours
Percent or Mean as Noted
Ronald L. Huesman, Jr., Office of Institutional Research and Reporting, University of Minnesota January, 2004The 2003 Student Experiences Survey Report
University of MinnesotaImpact of Mentoring
• MSL study surveyed leadership qualities
• Based on the Social Change Model
University Of Maryland (2006), Multi-Institutional Study Of Leadership: University Of Minnesota Final Report. The National Clearinghouse For Leadership Programs, ACPA Educational Leadership Foundation, & NASPA Foundation, MSL/ NCLP.
MSL Study
• Part of the MSL study environment was mentoring by:– Student– Community Member– Employer– Faculty– Student Affairs – None
Two of the Questions• In an average academic term, do you engage in any community
service?• Looking back to before you started college, please indicate your
agreement with the following items. (Using the 1-5 Likert scale)• Hearing differences in opinions enriched my thinking.• I had low self esteem.• I worked well in changing environments.• I enjoyed working with others toward common goals.• I held myself accountable for responsibilities I agreed to.• I worked well when I knew the collective values of a group.• My behaviors reflected my beliefs.• I valued the opportunities that allowed me to contribute to my community.• I thought of myself as a leader ONLY if I was the head of a group.
University of MinnesotaImpact of Mentoring
University Development Outcomes–Self Awareness
–Responsibility and Accountability
–Goal Orientation
–Independence and Interdependence
–Resilience
–Appreciation and Differences
–Tolerance of Ambiguity
Social Change Model–Consciousness of Self
–Congruence
–Commitment
–Collaboration
–Common Purpose
–Controversy with Civility
–Citizenship
–Change
Three Important Elements of the Model
Social Change Model• Consciousness of self -
Awareness of the beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions.
• Collaboration - To work with others in a common effort.
• Change - The ability to adapt to evolving environments and situations.
University Development Outcomes
• Self Awareness – Knowing personal strengths and talents.
• Independence and Interdependence – Knowing when to collaborate or act on their own.
• Tolerance of Ambiguity – Demonstrating the ability to perform in complicated environments.
Results - Consciousness of Self
Effect of the Mentor Relationship in Developing Consciousness of Self
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
Never Met Once Several Many
Frequency of Meetings with Mentor
Impact 5=Most Satisfied
Student Affairs Faculty Employer Community Other Student
Results - CollaborationEffects of Mentor Relationship in Developing a Collaboration
Skill
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
Never Met Once Several Many
Frequentcy of Meeting with Mentor
Impact - 5=Most Satisfied
Student Affairs Faculty Employer Community Other Student
Results - Adapting to ChangeEffect of the Mentor Relationship in Developing
Adaptibility to Change
3.5
3.55
3.6
3.65
3.7
3.75
3.8
3.85
3.9
3.95
4
4.05
Never Met Once Several Many
Frequency of Meeting with Mentor
Impact 5=Most Satisfied
Student Affairs Faculty Employer Community Other Student
Summary
–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions
Mentor Connection Surveys• How do you feel your experience with the
mentor program will assist you in reaching your career and professional goals?– My mentor was too busy to meet with me even
once. I would say it will not assist me in any way
– My mentor helped solidify my reasons for wanting to be an engineer by showing me many different projects that he worked on.
Mentor Connection Surveys• Do you have any suggestions for improving
the program for next year?– Match up majors better. Sales and Marketing
are two different fields – More sponsored events at different times. We
tried to make a few, but his schedule never allowed it
– Nothing much because the program is already very good
Training• Emphasizes the importance of generalized skills that
are a requisite for any profession.• Training both mentor and student to:
– Set initial goals– Establish communication between themselves– Have diligence in setting up and adhering to meetings– Establish a level of trust
• Emphasis on:– Critical thinking– Sensitivity for community– Self-analysis and reflection
• And...maybe more informal social events for unstructured conversation and networking
Conclusions• Research shows engagement and “mattering”
contribute to improved grades and retention.• Mentoring is a positive element in achieving
Social Change leadership skills.• Mentoring helps achieve University
Developmental Outcomes.• Mentoring can be broad based using peer,
community, faculty and student affairs people.• Training is a prerequisite.