Mentoring Student Staff Members
Mentoring Student Staff Members Presenters LaJoyce Brown, Associate Director-Recruitment & Outreach Wayne State University Ebony Dixon, Assistant Director-New Student Orientation Wayne State University Lee H. Melvin, Director of Undergraduate Admissions University of Connecticut April 2009
AACRAO Conference-Chicago
Mentoring Student Staff Members LaJoyce Brown Associate Director UG Recruitment & Outreach
Wayne State University AACRAO 2009 Chicago, IL
Wayne State University • • • • • •
Located in Detroit, MI Over 20,000 undergraduate students Over 31,000 students Average Freshmen class 10th largest employer in Detroit 350 degree programs
Wise Advisor •The Benefits of Mentoring Student Staff
•Steps in Mentoring Student Staff
•Evaluating the professional growth of student staff members
•Keeping the team motivated
Mentoring Students • • • •
Opportunity to mentor 38 total student staff members 21 student staff directly Roles of student staff in various units
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Recruitment & Outreach & student staff members • Campus C T Tour Guides G id • Call Center Student Assistants
Mentoring Students Associate Director UG Recruitment & Outreach
• Assistant Director-Orientation •Manager-Contact Mgmt Ctr.
•13 admissions counselors
Campus Tour Coordinator
Tour Guides
Call Center Student Staff
Benefits of Mentoring Student Staff Members • Student New Employee Orientation • Reporting absences, time clock, and daily assignments • Remember R b not to take k anything hi for f grantedd • Importance of having a staff meetings • Grooming for professional career opportunities
Steps in Mentoring Students • • • • • •
Student Leaders-Tour Coordinator Call Center Leaders Admissions Counselors assist in mentoring Motivating students to stay focus Student staff and their career goals Offer resources and advice
Recognition of Student Staff
•Annual awards •Sharing Talents •Include team members •Feedback from staff
Personalized Recognition • Certificates of Appreciation • Mock Elections • Frequent Communications • Low turnover • Student staff member to professional staff member.
Keeping the Team Motivated
• • • •
Planning a retreat or a mid-term get together Cost Leadership Rewards-happy and informed staff members
Team Building •Engage professional staff and student staff •Getting to know colleagues •Benefits Benefits
Benefits of Mentoring • Increase staff congeniality • Knowledgeable staff • Benchmarks established • Possible future professional staff member
The Results of My Unexpected Mentee Experience • From Student Assistant – Admissions Call Center -Multiple brief conversations with the Associate Director • To Admissions Counselor -Customary mentor / mentee relationship • And now, Assistant Director -Today a mentee and a mentor
Assistant Director
Orientation Coordinator
2 year-round
15 Seasonal
Warrior Orientation Leaders
Warrior Orientation Leaders
Recall Your Best Mentor • What made them the best? • Why do you feel that way? • How well did my mentor prepare me for my career?
Setting the record straight – Myths of Mentoring: True or False? ¾ A mentor must be a seasoned professional who is at least 5 – 10 years older than the person he/she is mentoring?
False The days of the inexperienced mentee perched at the foot of the old wise one, are gone. Personal experience at any age is a great teacher.
Myths of Mentoring: True or False? ¾ The person receiving the mentoring is the only one who benefits from the relationship?
False For mentoring to be effective, both parties must receive benefits; this is the shared principle.
Embrace the Basics of Good Mentoring • Engage students in ongoing conversation - “Hello, how are things going?” makes a big difference. - Open Door Policy - let students know they are welcome to talk with you. - Be open and approachable - share a lattee or lunch with students outside the office.
Provide Constructive and Supportive Feedback • Provide students with upfront assessments of their work. Ex., presentations, campus tours, assigned tasks
• If you have to confront your mentee – make it a productive confrontation - Discuss negative issues or behaviors w/o being judgmental
• Avoid assumptions Students who fall behind in their work may not have a lack commitment. Talk with them to learn what’s going on.
Provide Encouragement • Encourage students to share their ideas - prospect mailings, presenters for a program, trinkets
• Mistakes lead to better learning - share a less-than-successful moment of your own and what you learned
• Reassure students of their skills and abilities to succeed
Warrior Orientation Leader Of The Week Who will be our 2 WOL of the Week? nd
Please use the space below to select one WOL from the opposite team to be nominated for WOL of the week. For example, if you are on the Green Team you would select one WOL from the Gold team to be the WOL of the wk. After nominating one WOL turn your sheet into Ebony. The winner will be announced next week and awarded a fantastic prize. Good Luck!!!
Green Team
Gold Team
Nawara Blue
Quintella Boyd
Gwendolyn Bondono
Justin Crutchfield
Alaina Flowers
Sam Molnar
Antoine Jennings
David Mastin
Fawad Khan
Emma Paton
Kristen Meeks
Nicole Rogers
Roderick Simmons
Mansoor Siddiqui
Matthew Tommelein
Ashley Ross
Kenneth Watson
Nominee: ____________________________________
Look out for Your Students’ Interests • Create opportunities for • Ex.,print-ads, programs students to demonstrate around campus, mtg. the governor their competencies. Ex, take them to mtgs student panels mtgs.,
• Nominate your student mentee for high visibility projects & opportunities - Be sure they’re sufficiently prepared
Benefits of Student/Staff Mentoring for Mentors • Someone to share ideas with – get the students perspective • Opportunity pp y to g give back and invest in yyour institution - admitted students turn into committed employees • Renewed passion • Enhances the credibility of your school or college
Benefits of Student/Staff Mentoring for Mentee • Insights into career options • Expansion of leadership capabilities • Networking opportunities • Sounding board • Feedback – FAST
Benefits for your Organization • Improved student staff satisfaction - Low turnover - Returning Orientation Leaders
• Increased student retention - Students feel connected to the university
• Enhanced student and staff productivity - Improved quality for your institution
Important Qualities An Effective Mentor: - Capable of influencing & persuading others - Holds credibility amongst colleagues - Proficient in field - Willing to commit time and energy - Able to assist the student in setting & achieving goals
Important Qualities, cont… An Effective Student Mentee: - Has drive, ability and focus - Desires to learn & grow - Reliable, ethical and self-confident - Dynamic listening skills - Open to receiving feedback
Approached to Mentor One-on-One I. Mentoring Agreement
II. Monitor/Observe
- Schedule
- Formal updates on
- Type of Opportunities - Boundaries/Ground p , limitations)) Rules ((topics, - Regular Feedback - Goals and ways to monitor progress
developmental progress - Give prompt feedback FAST -Frequent -Accurate -Specific -Timely
III. Agreed Ending -Mentoring ended/extended? -Closing Evaluation
Show Appreciation • Goals achieved should be rewarded
• Make students feel they have an intricate role in the departments mission
Mentoring Student Staff Members AACRAO 2009 Chi Chicago, IL Lee H. Melvin Director of Undergraduate Admissions University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
16,765 Undergraduate at Main Campus 29,383 All Campuses 23,000 Freshmen Applications 3,335 Freshmen Enrollment Rural Environment
My Student Mentors
9 Graduate Students 8 Successfully Employed 4 Employed in Admissions 2 Employed E l d in i Housing H i 2 Employed in Advising 1 Employed as Temporary Staff
Mentoring Student Staff Members
Higher Education Programs I Interviews i andd Selection S l i Syllabus and Assignments Learning Contracts
Locating Student Staff
HESA Programs g Graduate Student TA’s or GA’s Volunteers vs. Compensation Practicum Experience
Interview and Selection Process
Asses Level of Interest and Knowledge Resume and Writing Samples Referrals and Recommendations Formal Notice of Selection
Syllabus and Assignments
Detail Learning Outcomes Schedule Update Meetings Assign Reading Materials Schedule Office Department Rotations Determine Area of Interest Review Weekly Logs
The Learning Contract
Design a Formal Contract for Signatures
Schedule Midterm Review of Contract
Determine Outcomes of Mentoring Experience Detail Office Hours and One on One Hours
My Student Mentors
9 Graduate Students 8 Successfully Employed 4 Employed in Admissions 2 Employed in Housing 2 Employed in Advising 1 Employed as Temporary Staff
My Commitment to Student Mentors
Overview of Enrollment Management Access to Admissions Meetings and Campus Leaders Opportunity to Develop Organizational Skills Honest Discussions on Admissions Topics and Issues
AACRAO Conference-Chicago
Mentoring Student Staff Members LaJoyce Brown Associate Director UG Recruitment & Outreach
Wayne State University AACRAO 2009 Chicago, IL
Wayne State University • • • • • •
Located in Detroit, MI Over 20,000 undergraduate students Over 31,000 students Average Freshmen class 10th largest employer in Detroit 350 degree programs
Wise Advisor •The Benefits of Mentoring Student Staff
•Steps in Mentoring Student Staff
•Evaluating the professional growth of student staff members
•Keeping the team motivated
Mentoring Students • • • •
Opportunity to mentor 38 total student staff members 21 student staff directly Roles of student staff in various units
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Recruitment & Outreach & student staff members • Campus C T Tour Guides G id • Call Center Student Assistants
Mentoring Students Associate Director UG Recruitment & Outreach
• Assistant Director-Orientation •Manager-Contact Mgmt Ctr.
•13 admissions counselors
Campus Tour Coordinator
Tour Guides
Call Center Student Staff
Benefits of Mentoring Student Staff Members • Student New Employee Orientation • Reporting absences, time clock, and daily assignments • Remember R b not to take k anything hi for f grantedd • Importance of having a staff meetings • Grooming for professional career opportunities
Steps in Mentoring Students • • • • • •
Student Leaders-Tour Coordinator Call Center Leaders Admissions Counselors assist in mentoring Motivating students to stay focus Student staff and their career goals Offer resources and advice
Recognition of Student Staff
•Annual awards •Sharing Talents •Include team members •Feedback from staff
Personalized Recognition • Certificates of Appreciation • Mock Elections • Frequent Communications • Low turnover • Student staff member to professional staff member.
Keeping the Team Motivated
• • • •
Planning a retreat or a mid-term get together Cost Leadership Rewards-happy and informed staff members
Team Building •Engage professional staff and student staff •Getting to know colleagues •Benefits Benefits
Benefits of Mentoring • Increase staff congeniality • Knowledgeable staff • Benchmarks established • Possible future professional staff member
The Results of My Unexpected Mentee Experience • From Student Assistant – Admissions Call Center -Multiple brief conversations with the Associate Director • To Admissions Counselor -Customary mentor / mentee relationship • And now, Assistant Director -Today a mentee and a mentor
Assistant Director
Orientation Coordinator
2 year-round
15 Seasonal
Warrior Orientation Leaders
Warrior Orientation Leaders
Recall Your Best Mentor • What made them the best? • Why do you feel that way? • How well did my mentor prepare me for my career?
Setting the record straight – Myths of Mentoring: True or False? ¾ A mentor must be a seasoned professional who is at least 5 – 10 years older than the person he/she is mentoring?
False The days of the inexperienced mentee perched at the foot of the old wise one, are gone. Personal experience at any age is a great teacher.
Myths of Mentoring: True or False? ¾ The person receiving the mentoring is the only one who benefits from the relationship?
False For mentoring to be effective, both parties must receive benefits; this is the shared principle.
Embrace the Basics of Good Mentoring • Engage students in ongoing conversation - “Hello, how are things going?” makes a big difference. - Open Door Policy - let students know they are welcome to talk with you. - Be open and approachable - share a lattee or lunch with students outside the office.
Provide Constructive and Supportive Feedback • Provide students with upfront assessments of their work. Ex., presentations, campus tours, assigned tasks
• If you have to confront your mentee – make it a productive confrontation - Discuss negative issues or behaviors w/o being judgmental
• Avoid assumptions Students who fall behind in their work may not have a lack commitment. Talk with them to learn what’s going on.
Provide Encouragement • Encourage students to share their ideas - prospect mailings, presenters for a program, trinkets
• Mistakes lead to better learning - share a less-than-successful moment of your own and what you learned
• Reassure students of their skills and abilities to succeed
Warrior Orientation Leader Of The Week Who will be our 2 WOL of the Week? nd
Please use the space below to select one WOL from the opposite team to be nominated for WOL of the week. For example, if you are on the Green Team you would select one WOL from the Gold team to be the WOL of the wk. After nominating one WOL turn your sheet into Ebony. The winner will be announced next week and awarded a fantastic prize. Good Luck!!!
Green Team
Gold Team
Nawara Blue
Quintella Boyd
Gwendolyn Bondono
Justin Crutchfield
Alaina Flowers
Sam Molnar
Antoine Jennings
David Mastin
Fawad Khan
Emma Paton
Kristen Meeks
Nicole Rogers
Roderick Simmons
Mansoor Siddiqui
Matthew Tommelein
Ashley Ross
Kenneth Watson
Nominee: ____________________________________
Look out for Your Students’ Interests • Create opportunities for • Ex.,print-ads, programs students to demonstrate around campus, mtg. the governor their competencies. Ex, take them to mtgs student panels mtgs.,
• Nominate your student mentee for high visibility projects & opportunities - Be sure they’re sufficiently prepared
Benefits of Student/Staff Mentoring for Mentors • Someone to share ideas with – get the students perspective • Opportunity pp y to g give back and invest in yyour institution - admitted students turn into committed employees • Renewed passion • Enhances the credibility of your school or college
Benefits of Student/Staff Mentoring for Mentee • Insights into career options • Expansion of leadership capabilities • Networking opportunities • Sounding board • Feedback – FAST
Benefits for your Organization • Improved student staff satisfaction - Low turnover - Returning Orientation Leaders
• Increased student retention - Students feel connected to the university
• Enhanced student and staff productivity - Improved quality for your institution
Important Qualities An Effective Mentor: - Capable of influencing & persuading others - Holds credibility amongst colleagues - Proficient in field - Willing to commit time and energy - Able to assist the student in setting & achieving goals
Important Qualities, cont… An Effective Student Mentee: - Has drive, ability and focus - Desires to learn & grow - Reliable, ethical and self-confident - Dynamic listening skills - Open to receiving feedback
Approached to Mentor One-on-One I. Mentoring Agreement
II. Monitor/Observe
- Schedule
- Formal updates on
- Type of Opportunities - Boundaries/Ground p , limitations)) Rules ((topics, - Regular Feedback - Goals and ways to monitor progress
developmental progress - Give prompt feedback FAST -Frequent -Accurate -Specific -Timely
III. Agreed Ending -Mentoring ended/extended? -Closing Evaluation
Show Appreciation • Goals achieved should be rewarded
• Make students feel they have an intricate role in the departments mission
Mentoring Student Staff Members AACRAO 2009 Chi Chicago, IL Lee H. Melvin Director of Undergraduate Admissions University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
16,765 Undergraduate at Main Campus 29,383 All Campuses 23,000 Freshmen Applications 3,335 Freshmen Enrollment Rural Environment
My Student Mentors
9 Graduate Students 8 Successfully Employed 4 Employed in Admissions 2 Employed E l d in i Housing H i 2 Employed in Advising 1 Employed as Temporary Staff
Mentoring Student Staff Members
Higher Education Programs I Interviews i andd Selection S l i Syllabus and Assignments Learning Contracts
Locating Student Staff
HESA Programs g Graduate Student TA’s or GA’s Volunteers vs. Compensation Practicum Experience
Interview and Selection Process
Asses Level of Interest and Knowledge Resume and Writing Samples Referrals and Recommendations Formal Notice of Selection
Syllabus and Assignments
Detail Learning Outcomes Schedule Update Meetings Assign Reading Materials Schedule Office Department Rotations Determine Area of Interest Review Weekly Logs
The Learning Contract
Design a Formal Contract for Signatures
Schedule Midterm Review of Contract
Determine Outcomes of Mentoring Experience Detail Office Hours and One on One Hours
My Student Mentors
9 Graduate Students 8 Successfully Employed 4 Employed in Admissions 2 Employed in Housing 2 Employed in Advising 1 Employed as Temporary Staff
My Commitment to Student Mentors
Overview of Enrollment Management Access to Admissions Meetings and Campus Leaders Opportunity to Develop Organizational Skills Honest Discussions on Admissions Topics and Issues
