Mentor Orientation for Apprenticeships in Science and Engineering (ASE) Program

Editor's Notes

• #3: As a non profit, ASE is supported solely through contributions, grants, and fees. Less than half of our funding is provided by grants and contributions. Major support for 2014 comes from: Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), JFR Foundation, Synopsys Foundation, Hoffman Construction, American Association of University Women (AAUW) Additional support from these other foundations and organizations as well as many of our mentors support ASE directly through their own funding. If you would like information on how to fund ASE through your own grants, please see the BLUE HANDOUT on grant funding available here and online through our website.
• #4: Has this thought occurred to you since signing up to be an ASE Mentor? What does mentoring mean to you? Hopefully by the end of this orientation you will have thought a bit more deeply about the influence and impact your role will have on your students this summer.
• #5: On a more realistic note, ASE has over 120 students go through the program. What ends up happening is often a win-win for both as in the case of this intern…and this mentor. These are really the outcomes ASE strives towards and is known for!
• #8: Group of teachers and professionals in 1989 saw need to develop a pipeline of talent in STEM Started with only 6 interns in 1989 pilot and since expanded to serve over 3600 students, including 135 in 2014. We have 43 unique organizations with 108 mentors! The ASE Program has been so successful over the years at providing students with a meaningful look into a possible career path, showing them tangible real-world applications, and partnering students with STEM professionals. Because of this, ASE boasts an outstanding record of students not only going onto college, but continuing into their internship field and eventually graduating with a STEM degree.
• #9: SO this brings us to the VALUE of Mentoring. Why is mentoring so important?
• #10: The best way to think about the value of mentoring is to often consider our own experiences. For this I ask you to consider the following questions: Who helped ignite your passion for STEM? - What qualities did this person embody? - How did s/he help shape your development, education and career choices? Think about these for a moment. Now, I want you to visualize if you can, one quality of that person that meant the most to you. Hold on to that quality, because now we are going to get together in groups to share this. Activity: Supplies: Gingerbread men and large pens 1. Using the ginger-bread-type silhouette. Then, as you introduce yourselves in your group, also draw a representation of a primary quality that this person demonstrated to you that made a difference in your life direction. By group, share with large group your introductions and your mentor quality. I’m going to allow 5 minutes for this discussion, and then we will reconvene as a large group to discuss some of the results. Reconvene: What were some of the qualities people recalled? I jotted down a few that I saw while walking around. HANDOUT: I want to also call your attention to this handout we have on assessing your mentoring skills. There is an article with tips for mentoring and then a quiz you can self administer.
• #11: Data collected from Search Institute surveys of more than 4 million children and youth from all backgrounds and situations has consistently demonstrated that the more Developmental Assets young people acquire, the better their chances of succeeding in school and becoming happy, healthy, and contributing members of their communities and society. - Early 1990’s research finds “caring, committed adults central to healthy growth of young people”. - Relationships recognized as the mechanism through which psychological development occurs. Not all youth have access to caring, committed adults outside the family You DO make a difference in the life of your intern! We have a HANDOUT you are welcome to take on Developmental Assets that may be helpful to see what qualities are most important.
• #12: What are we really up against as mentors? According to Jeri Janowsky, the ED at Saturday Academy, the Real Challenge is the speed at which science and technology is moving. So our goal isn’t to equip students with the precise technical skills, but with the attitudes and approaches needed to address the problems of tomorrow. Mentors inspire through their passion and enthusiasm for their work.
• #13: Moving onto the logistics of the ASE Program, let’s now discuss the structure and roles of those involved.
• #14: As a materials scientist in my previous career, I like to recall a critical paradigm for describing the ASE Program – the tetrahedron. In this case, there are four vertices – each representing a major participant of the ASE program. There are the obvious ones – The Intern and the Mentor, and then the less obvious ones – ASE Staff and Teacher Monitors. Teacher Monitors are typically high school science teachers. Role of Teacher Monitors: Provide support to students, mentors, and ASE through the program. I will go into more detail in a moment, but these are your first-point of contact for issues or problems. You will have the opportunity to meet your TM after this orientation (6-6:30), along with your intern. We’ll email you their contact information next week Support from ASE Staff Available if concerns or questions arise Provide: Conferences, School Credit, Manage stipend payments
• #15: You are setting your intern up for future success. Students need to understand the value and implications of the task or job they’re performing. This is a continual need, not a one-time piece of information. Find out your student’s interests and skills, and look for ways that they could apply those. Give them opportunities to be challenge – to “stretch” them. You have support resources! Use both the teacher mentor and ASE staff to help resolve any issues.
• #16: Expectations include not only the job or task assigned, but team, communications, work hours…basically everything you would expect of a new hire. Don’t be overly lenient. Students need to understand the value and implications of the task or job they’re performing. This is a continual need, not a one-time piece of information. Find out your student’s interests and skills, and look for ways that they could apply those. Give them opportunities to stretch. It’s important to us that this be a great experience for you as well as for your student! There are more resources available in the GREEN HANDOUT on Mentor Expectations, as well as two booklets we have available here and online: Guidance for mentoring Junior Scholars ASE Q&A
• #17: Establish a schedule that will work for you (mentor). Interns are expected to spend the equivalent of 37 full-time days = 296 hours total. Follow through with scheduling commitments. Provide advance notice, when possible, if unexpected time off is needed. Arrive promptly in morning, stay until end of work day. Follow the company policies. This includes health, safety, security, confidentiality, internet, email etiquette, communication, time off, and any others that may apply. Very important to address problems or issues early!
• #18: The log might seem unnecessary, but it will be very useful when they are making college applications and preparing for interviews. It will remind them of the details of what they actually accomplished! We also have a list of what is all involved in the ASE Program in this handy chart – a WHITE HANDOUT on ASE Program Requirements and Time Commitments for School Credit. Feel free to take on to educate yourself about the full breadth of the ASE Program.
• #19: Speaking of expectations, let’s take a little quiz…
• #20: Intern will be absent from mentor organization on these events Symposium: Interns make formal oral and poster presentations Mentors are highly encouraged to attend Feel free to invite managers, benefactors and potential mentors Presentations are intern homework – you can help them prepare (recommended) Review poster and oral presentation for proprietary information and technical accuracy Optional but recommended: practice presentation, provide visual aids (digital images, equipment, etc) Networking!
• #21: You will have the opportunity to meet your TM after this orientation (6-6:30), along with your intern. We’ll email you their contact information soon.
• #22: We sent the first invoices to mentors for ASE sponsorships this week (or next week). We will provide stipend payments to the students, in two payments. This allows us to send checks to students at the same time, which is less confusing for both interns and their families.
• #23: Not to be overlooked are the important tangent to the Interns – the Parents and Guardians of the students. Housing and transportation are not the mentor’s responsibility (nor are they the ASE Program’s responsibility)!
• #24: Already noticed we use email Please notify us if your address or phone numbers change One year we had a student come to the wrong location for Symposium because she changed her email address and didn’t get the directions. Don’t let that be you!
• #26: “same basic assumption applies to all types of mentoring. That is, when a more experienced or senior individual (the mentor) takes an interest in and encourages a less experienced or disadvantaged individual (the protégé), the protégé will benefit” Youth mentoring: involves a relationship between a caring, supportive adult and a child or adolescent (Rhodes, 2002). Youth mentoring assumes that supportive relationships with adults are important for personal, emotional, cognitive, and psychological growth (Ainsworth, 1989; Rhodes, 2002). Academic mentoring: typifies the apprentice model of education where a faculty member imparts knowledge, provides support, and offers guidance to a student protégé on academic (e.g., classroom performance) as well as non-academic (e.g., personal problems, identity issues) issues (Jacobi, 1991). This type of mentoring may facilitate psychological adjustment and foster a sense of professional identity(Austin, 2002). Finally, workplace mentoring: occurs in an organizational setting and the purpose is the personal and professional growth of the protégé (Kram, 1985). The mentor may be a supervisor, someone else within the organization but outside the protégé’s chain of command, or an individual in another organization (Eby, 1997). Different outcomes may result: behavior, attitude, health, relational, motivational, and career. While different – an NIH meta-study by Elby et al, all share a common finding, mentoring is more strongly related to protégé attitudes than to behavior, health, and career outcomes. see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2352144/
• #27: Inexperienced – may not speak up if need more of a challenge, can be intimidated about asking questions. To check in, it is often helpful to ask specific questions. You can ask open-ended questions, such as “How are things going for you?” but we recommend also asking more specific questions such as “What parts of this project are you finding challenging?” Open-ended questions are likely to result in a general “Everything is fine” answer. Often this is their 1st professional work experience – help your intern with “unwritten rules” and workplace culture, assign a lunch buddy, etc. Specific backgrounds can include low income families, 1st generation college bound, immigrant youth, students with cultural differences from your workplace or field norms – young women, ethnic minorities, etc.
• #28: Stage 1: Developing Rapport and Building Trust Predictability and consistency - Preparation Establish confidentiality Goal setting (transitions into Stage 2) Stage 2: The Middle—Reaching Goals Affirm the uniqueness of the relationship The relationship may be rocky or smooth Rely on staff support Stage 3: Closure Acknowledge the relationship is coming to a close Address appropriate situations for staying in touch - Networking For more info: http://www.mentoring.org/downloads/mentoring_600.doc Mentoring and supervision are two different tasks. They are not mutually exclusive, but… supervision focuses on deliverables. Mentoring focuses on the overall development of the mentee: specific tasks serve as tools for assessing and developing skills and professional/academic growth is a primary goal. The internship will be more successful if you balance the two.
• #29: Early in internship: some awkwardness can be expected from both intern and mentor mentor should be predictable and consistent – this foundation sets the stage for learning and achievement, as well as respect it is helpful if the mentor invests time with the student in this early stage, good time to “explain the rules” (set boundaries for the student) – useful and necessary tasks here include: giving a tour to the intern, introducing her/him to colleagues and co-mentors and other interns (if any), providing an overview of the summer schedule (if known) discussing workplace etiquette (including info on where to eat lunch, etc), going over security, internet/email use and confidentiality protocols, and discussing workplace safety. also helpful to share your stories with the intern – helps make a connection stage 1 has varying length, depending on factors such as your communication, student’s situation, etc. Middle stage: Can be characterized by a developed rhythm. Rapport is more common; Closure: Provide opportunities for saying goodbye, either in person or as a group. Plan a going away party – can be a simple lunch with a card signed by colleagues who’ve worked with intern. Explain appropriate situations for staying in touch.
• #30: Self-reflection on your own goals, what you hope to get out of the internship, is helpful. Clearly, you are here to provide pre-professional experience and place a value on educational experiences. However, what else motivates you? Are you hoping to cultivate the next generation of engineers? Do you place a high value on helping students who are facing certain barriers? Will instructing an intern provide professional development to members of your lab? Are you looking for that fresh approach that high schoolers can provide? Evaluate your own skills (handout). In mid-June ASE staff will email you: Intern Emergency Medical Treatment form Internship calendar Teacher Monitor’s contact information
• #31: Specific recommendations 1) Meet with the intern regularly. Communication is a key ingredient of a successful internship. Share your enthusiasm for your projects/field, as well as your enjoyment. 2) Set aside some time specifically to discuss how the internship is going. Check in on specific tasks to make sure that the intern understands all of the steps and how things work at your organization. Ask questions so that you can learn a bit about your intern, including his/her personal goals, academic goals (for instance, what college or university is she/he considering?), and career goals (if known). 3) Communicate your expectations clearly. Your expectations should be high – but be open to adapting them, if needed. Some students might need extra assistance OR a greater challenge! 4) Discuss the bigger picture! How does your work fit into the larger picture for your field/discipline? Provide a context for the internship activities, if it isn’t obvious. For instance, how will the data collected by the intern be used? What activities might take place or additional results be learned after the internship is over? Will anyone build on the intern’s work? 5) Assist the intern in accessing additional resources during the internship – have your intern attend a seminar series, cross-train with a colleague, attend a staff meeting (can ask them to present), etc.
• #32: Mentors often remain in contact with interns. Some co-author papers with interns and assist them with science fairs. Some provide advice on selecting and getting accepted to a college or university, others write letters of recommendations for grants, jobs, etc. while others hire students back in a later year. Sometimes a mentor will not hear from a student following the internship. One special circumstance: NWSES is the Northwest Science Expo System, which is a series of science fairs that qualify students for the Intel International Science and Engineering (ISEF) Fair. ASE alumni and future interns win awards at these fairs each year. Please contact Stephanie Jones, if you have questions. Provide handouts with more information. Have reference materials as well.
• #35: If all goes according to plan, ASE should be a Win-Win for all!