Online Faculty/Staff Toolkit for Mentoring Graduate Students
This page provides faculty and staff with resources for mentoring graduate students. In addition, we also provide information on programs available to graduate students with the hope that faculty and staff encourage students to attend the events.
Workshops for Faculty
We offer two types of workshops, those geared towards newly hired faculty members, and those geared towards all faculty on campus. Topics vary on a yearly basis. If you are interested in a topic that has not been covered, please contact us at grad@illinois.edu.
New Faculty Orientation
Jointly with the Provost’s Office, the Graduate College conducts a session at the new faculty orientation on the mentoring of graduate students. Additionally, we offer two workshops, one on the role of mentors and advisers and one on working with international students, as part of the Provost’s Office mentoring initiative for newly hired faculty.
Practical Mentoring of Graduate Students (Annual Faculty Mentoring Workshop)
Each January, the Graduate College organizes a mentoring workshop for faculty. Here are links to descriptions and agendas of past workshops:
- The Deliberate Mentor: Performing the Role(s) with Thought and Purpose (2012)
- Constructive Feedback as a Tool in Mentoring (2011)
- Challenging Assumptions: Building a Supportive and Inclusive Environment (2010)
- Mentoring Inside/Out (2009)
- Advising Strategies, Role Modeling, and Making a Positive Impact on Graduate Student Progress (2008)
- Preventing Conflict & Setting Expectations: How to Get Your Message Across (2007)
- Setting Expectations, Resolving Conflicts, & Identifying Your Own Advising Style (2006)
Mentoring Guides
The following guides provide information and resources on a number of topics related to the mentoring of graduate students. The first set of links provides are comprehensive introduction, whereas the next set of links provide information on specific issues related to mentoring as described by the headings.
Introductions and comprehensive guides
- University of Illinois Guiding Standards for Faculty Supervision of Graduate Students
- The multiple roles of the faculty mentor
- Best Practices used in Graduate Programs at Illinois
- Promising Practices (Council of Graduate School)
- How to Mentor Graduate Students (University of Michigan) (PDF)
- Mentor and Graduate Student: Strategies for Success (University of Louisville)
- Mentoring Graduate Students (by Michael C. Loui)
- Mentoring Guidebook (University of Nebraska)
- Best Practices for Mentors of Doctoral Students, Based on interviews with Northwestern Faculty (PDF)
Setting Expectations
- "What Makes Grad Students Graduate?"
- Professional Development Timeline (PDF)
- Graduate School Lingo and Advice
Providing Feedback
Practical Scenarios
Writing Letters of Recommendation
Management Practices
- Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management
- Mind Matters: Managing Conflict in the Lab
Research & Ethics
- Academic Integrity
- Research Ethics Resources
- National Center for Professional & Research Ethics, located at the Urbana-Champaign campus
Graduate Student Mental Health
- University of Illinois Counseling Center
- Mental Health Assessment (accessible through Project Muse)
Preparing Future Faculty Courses and Resources
Preparing Future Faculty (PPF) is a national program launched by the Council of Graduate Schools and the American Association of Colleges and Universities. With support from the Graduate College, some departments and schools at Illinois offer graduate courses that focus on teaching, research and professional practice in their respective disciplines. More information is available through the Campus Programs on Teaching and Learning.
Mentoring Programs for Graduate Students
Good mentoring is a key element of graduate education. Here are some resources on finding mentors and fostering a productive relationship with your mentor(s).
Business Alumni Mentoring Program
The College of Business Alumni Mentors Program brings students and alumni together for an exchange of information on education, professionalism, aspirations and ideas. It allows students to obtain valuable advice and insights from business alumni and allows alumni to aid students in becoming professionals in service to society and the College of Business. The program is open to all College of Business students and alumni.
Grad Mentoring @ Illinois
Grad Mentoring @ Illinois is a faculty/alumni mentoring network for traditionally underrepresented graduate students (sponsored by the Graduate College).
INTERLINK
INTERLINK is an international student mentoring program, where international students have the opportunity to be paired with a University of Illinois student, faculty, or staff member who can provide support in adjusting to American culture (sponsored by the Counseling Center).
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