Mentoring

The mentoring program for incoming students is intended to give a more personal introduction to the program and to graduate student life. Each student is assigned a faculty mentor who may also become his/her advisor in preparation for the Ph.D.

Faculty Mentors

A faculty mentor can help students in a variety of ways, from recommending courses and planning their schedules, to helping with research ideas, to writing letters of recommendation. As students' research interests become more focused, they may decide to choose another mentor whose interests are more similar to their own, or they may opt to continue their relationship with their initial mentor and may ultimately make her or him their Ph.D. exam advisor. Students should remember that a faculty mentor is someone who is already well established in the field, and who can help them through not only their career in graduate school, but on into their professional career. The professors of today are the colleagues of tomorrow.

Peer Advisors

As for the student advisors, these are advanced folklore students who have elected to help incoming students through the tribulations of the first year of graduate school. These people are good sources of information about classes and professors (get the real story!), housing, and other aspects of university life.

 
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