Transcript Engineering Mentors Alyse Ridpath Graduate Coordinator Engineering Mentors • E-Mentors: • Graduate/Undergraduate Intercultural Mentoring in Engineering • Goals: • Enhance participants’ cultural adaptability • Increase interaction opportunities • Promote international integration &

Engineering Mentors
Alyse Ridpath
Graduate Coordinator
Engineering Mentors
•
E-Mentors:
• Graduate/Undergraduate
Intercultural Mentoring in Engineering
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Goals:
• Enhance participants’ cultural adaptability
• Increase interaction opportunities
• Promote international integration
& domestic education
Background
Dean’s Education Initiative
• Engineering International Engagement
• Annual funding:
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$30,000
Engineering 38%
Ag & Life Sciences 6%
Business 16%
Design 7%
Human Sciences 5%
Liberal Arts & Sciences 26%
Iowa State’s International
Student Population
Other 2%
Initial Implementation
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Recruitment & Training
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Event Format: large & small group interaction
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Clusters: 2 graduate mentors & 3-5 undergraduate mentees
Mentors:
Graduate International Students
Mentors:
Graduate Domestic Students
Mentees:
Undergraduate Domestic
Students
Mentees:
Undergraduate International
Students
Program Expenditures
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Graduate support
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Mentor training
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Large group events
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Cluster meetings
Event Format
Cluster Meetings
Clusters meet every 2-4
weeks throughout the
academic year
Large Group Events
Interaction opportunities for
students from different
clusters
Cluster Meetings
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Clusters meet every 2-4 weeks throughout the academic year
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Coordinated by mentors
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Opportunity for discussion
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Meeting Reports
E-Mentors website
• Program communication
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Activities
Lunch, dinner
• Laser tag
• Bowling
• Movies
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Large Group Events
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Program wide engagements
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Planned by coordinators
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Interaction opportunities for
students from different clusters
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Events
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Kick-Off Event
Football Game and Tailgate
Hockey Match & Pizza
Men’s Basketball Game
Virtual Reality Application (VRAC)
Demonstration & Dinner
Program Assessment
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Surveys
Pre
• Post
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Focus Groups
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2012-2013 Participation:
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32 clusters
64 graduate mentors
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(15 domestic/49 international)
125 undergraduate mentees
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(100 domestic/25 international)
Feedback
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“I learned about some of the issues that affect foreign undergraduates, such as language
barriers, customs / traditions, etc.”
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“It is a great opportunity to share different cultures with American students.”
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“I also got the opportunity to be more involved in American society.”
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“It would be nice if the individual group meetings
were more structured.”
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“Clear goals of the program would help the
mentors.”
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“Help mentors develop mentoring skills.”
Lessons Learned
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More Structure
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Increase planned events
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Large & small
Prompts
Training Sessions
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Facilitate education
Development of community
Encourage retention
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Pairings
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Co-mentors & clusters
Time availability
Current Implementation
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Mentor Training
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3 detailed sessions
Big picture, program goals &
details, culture sharing
Mentor empowerment
Current Implementation
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Program Structure
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Monthly large group events
Graduate student interaction
Semi-structured activities
Funding incentives
Current Implementation
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2013-2014 Participation:
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30 clusters
60 graduate mentors
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(12 domestic/48 international)
215 undergraduate mentees
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(176 domestic/39 international)
• Clusters
• 2 international graduate mentors
& 5-8 domestic undergraduate mentees
• 2 domestic graduate mentors
& 5-8 international undergraduate mentees
Alyse Ridpath &
Ben McCarty
Engineering Mentors Program Coordinators
College of Engineering
112 Marston Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
[email protected]
515-294-1884 (phone)
515-294-9273 (fax)