GSG advocates mentoring program

Graduate student leaders are proposing a system of one-on-one mentoring to help guide undergraduates who are considering postgraduate studies.

Under the program, undergraduates would shadow individual graduate students to gain perspective on their day-to-day issues like time management and student loans, and receive help in their application processes.

Graduate Student Government officials say the mentoring program remains in its preliminary stages, as they have yet to fine-tune the details like university partners and funding, but they still hope to launch it this fall.

The GSG's Academic Affairs committee is drafting the program's details. Officials anticipate funding from the university's Career Center.

Although there has been no official confirmation from any university departments, GSG Vice President for Committee Affairs Tomek Kott wrote in an e-mail that many have informally expressed support after GSG President Anupama Kothari announced the idea earlier this month.

"Anu has pitched the program to various potential partners across the university, including the Career Center, the provost, and alumni association. All have been very receptive to the idea and are willing to help either with funding or through logistics," Kott wrote.

Kothari added that even if there is no university money for the program, the GSG will still be able to offer mentoring to undergraduates.

"At this point we don't really need funding," she said. "It would only arise for a networking event or to publicize the program."

As an undergraduate, Kott said he based his decision to pursue his doctorate in physics upon attending listening sessions for graduate students. Similarly, he said, the program would build upon the concept of first-hand mentoring.

Graduate students largely support the program, and some wish they had participated in a similar program as undergraduates. One student said she would have benefited from a fresh perspective when she stood at the crossroads deciding between more school or the workforce.

"When I was an undergraduate student, sometimes I had no idea whether I should continue with graduate studies or just find a job," said Xiaoya Sun, a first-year chemistry doctoral student. "At that time the only person I could ask was my academic advisor. She was a professor and she graduated many years ago. She didn't know much about what the graduate life is like today."

GSG officials maintain there is indeed a demand for such a mentoring program among undergraduates.

"The initial importance is we know that there are undergraduates that are curious about graduate school," said GSG Vice President for Academic Affairs Aaron Tobiason. "The initial purpose is to give them a chance to talk one-on-one with the graduate students within the same field."

mquijada@umdbk.com