2017 ASE Program Mentor Orientation

Editor's Notes

• #2: Welcome and Thank you all for being here tonight. My name is Julia Soto. I am the ASE Program Director. Before I came to Saturday Academy, I studied and worked as an engineer. While I had great supports, I wish I had the opportunity be challenged and encouraged in the way you are about to do for your interns this summer. In this orientation we will cover the: Expectations of mentors and interns We will have a few Activities to help you understand the program and mentoring. I will cover some of the Best Practices for the internship such as: Understanding the program basics Realizing you have supports Making and keeping to a plan Finally, we will wrap up with a Mentor Panel Q&A My goal is that you see you are part of a larger community of professionals with a shared interest in guiding and training the next generation of science and technology professionals. So who are these young future professionals? You will get a chance to meet some of them during the Meet & Greet at 6:30.
• #3: Well, they are not unlike this group from last year. This year over 530 applicants applied for ~130 positions. That’s a 1:4 chance for students. This competitive program has been around for 28 years. We couldn’t do it without the amazing support of our mentors and partners. [Take a poll around the room] Who is a returning mentor? Please Stand. So that means the rest of you are new to ASE. Take a moment to notice those around you that are returning to the program. You may want to rely on their help in an activity coming up later….
• #4: The ASE Program is just one program of Saturday Academy. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in affiliation with the University of Portland. We rely on financial support from grants and program revenue to provide our programs, including 500 classes and camps a year in the Portland Metro. We serve between 6,000-7,000 students annually. Saturday Academy has stayed true to it’s mission since 1983 when we were founded. Our belief is that all young people should explore their curiosity and have the capacity to become life-long learners. It’s because of your passion and commitment as mentors that our non-profit works.
• #5: Speaking of the program working, let’s cover some of the Program Basics. The Apprenticeships in Science & Engineering is a full-time, 8 weeks program for 9th-11th grade students to go further into their passions and potential career interests as interns at various types of organizations. We do this through a project-based, hands-on learning that enables career exploration and builds confidence. Internships are: 296 hours Starting on June 19 or 26 Must end by August 25 The ASE program is much more than an internship: Workshops Two Conferences Liability Insurance Stipend Disbursement The ASE Program supports you with: Site Visits and program Evaluation Thank You Letters Beyond ASE: School Credit Science Fairs or Publications
• #6: [Hand out Program Quiz] Now, I’d like to give you all a moment to get to know each other better and see what your know about the program. I am passing around a Program Quiz. Please assemble in groups of 2-4 to find our your collective knowledge. Feel free to ask around the room for help if you get stuck. [Provide ~3 mins] [Reconvene] How did that go? Did you gain some sense of the program? Were you able to find the answers by asking others? Just as we want to encourage the interns to ask questions, so should mentors. Part of mentoring is also learning.
• #7: As I mentioned we offer other events to round out this educational experience. Note, your intern will be absent from the internship on these events MSC: Workshops, activities, cohort building Who attends: Interns, Workshop Presenters Some presenters this year include folks from Intel, OBEC Consulting, Upward Technology, Biotronik, PSU, OSU, and OHSU Symposium: Interns make formal oral and poster presentations Mentors are highly encouraged to attend Feel free to invite managers, benefactors and potential mentors Networking! Who attends: Interns, Mentors, Families, Community Members (Save the Dates!)
• #8: Professional Learning Experiences Gaining professional skills while building confidence and autonomy Safety and Training Personal Protective Equipment and training Ensure a safe & inclusive environment – not just physical safety but emotional too Other on site-required trainings students need Communication Have a plan [intro Mentoring Plan Template]. I’ll share with you a tool you can use later. Regular and planned. Address issues quickly – use Teacher Monitors Provide a work space & tools Workstation and computer access Include students into the Community May be a workgroup, lab or entire company
• #9: We also commit to providing you with support. What should you expect from ASE? Staff support Ensure a quality program and experience Point of contact in event of an emergency Organize conferences Disburse stipend payments Provide liability insurance and documentation to schools Teacher Monitors Provide support to student - program logistics, transportation assistance Conduct 2 site visits and interviews with interns and mentors (Teacher Monitor will contact you to schedule visits) Take photos Coordinate Thank You Letters Serve as resource to interns, mentors, and ASE staff Assist with events, like this Orientation and conferences Available if issues arise
• #10: Being a mentor is also an opportunity to help. Knowing that not all mentors are the same, and there are different types of mentoring. Reflecting on our experiences being mentored or coached can help a lot as you go into the summer. Are you an instructive “be like me” or nurturing “counselor” type of mentor. Take a moment and think about your own mentoring experiences: What kind of mentor did you have? How would you describe their style? Think about: Body Language, Speech, Listening Style http://www.takestockinchildren.org/docs/default-source/pdf's/resources-mentor-minute2.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Personally, I had a great experience with my graduate advisor in Materials Science & Engineering at Washington State University. He was encouraging and available. He gave me resources, tools, and advice, but never dictated. He was also smart – he provided support that he could (within defined hours) and also linked me up with other graduate students that would help train and teach me. He fostered a community that I still reflect back upon.
• #11: One tool to thinking about mentoring styles is this graph as part of the Four ways of helping. I’d like to invite you all to create your own mentoring map. First let’s start with your mentor. [put a dot for my mentor-a little below “directive” and towards “stretching”] What about you? How do you see your mentoring style? [put a dot for me more in “directive” and “stretching”] Now you try: Who mentored you? How would you describe their style? (dot for their mentor) What is your mentoring style? (dot for themselves) Pose a few questions for discussion: Are there any similarities? Are you like your mentor or different? This activity is not meant to be prescriptive. Consider there is a spectrum of mentors and you may not satisfy all your mentees needs.
• #12: In considering your mentee’s needs, you will likely need to find out where they are in terms of skills as well as expectations. Setting and managing expectations can be a huge help in making the internship go smoothly. By doing some early Pre-planning & Goal Setting you can help keep the internship on track, even when projects may go awry, which some inevitably do. Becoming a mentor with the ASE program means that you also get the benefit of many other mentors that have been with the program. ASE staff & your Teacher Monitor are people that can help funnel the collective learnings to support you. One piece of advice is have a plan. Think not only about what the student will be doing but what other interactions and experiences they might have during your time together. I’m sharing with you all now, a tool to help guide your conversations called a “Mentoring Plan.” This template is meant to provide a framework to some of the conversations you should be having with you intern. Feel free to adapt this as your own. It is for you and your intern, so make it what you need it to be.
• #13: There is much more I could tell you about Best Practices, but I wanted you to have a chance to hear from others that are experienced with the program.
• #14: There is much more I could tell you about Best Practices, but I wanted you to have a chance to hear from others that are experienced with the program.
• #15: Thank you again. Now I invite you all to meet the interns and teacher monitors for the Meet & Greet.