VIH Mentoring

Program

Mentor Guide Week 1: How to assist your mentee in achieving cultural immersion

The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

A Note from the VIH Program Dear Mentor,

Think back to your international experience. Was it life-changing? Did it reshape your worldview? Think about what would have enabled you to get even more out of this experience. What would have taken this to the next level? If you could share what you learned with one of your peers, what would you tell them? Now you have the opportunity to share the experience of a member of the incoming VIH cohort! You have eight weeks in the spring prior to their study abroad experience to introduce them to concepts that will prepare the for the retreat and their international experience.

You have achieved cultural immersion through your international so use your insights to guide our mentee through these weekly topics. The first week is about constructing the foundation of your relationships! We hope that this mentoring program results in a mutually beneficial relationship and enjoyable friendship.

If you have any questions, need guidance, or simply want to discuss ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I will be checking in periodically to offer support. This is an amazing opportunity for you to positively impact the life of a fellow VIH awardee. You may find though, that this Mentoring Programs brings as many, if not more, benefits to you in terms of the development of your leadership skills.

Sincerely,

Sarah Wagner The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

Tips for Mentoring • Take time to make sure that your mentee grasp concepts and understands the

importance of these concepts in terms of enhancing their international experience. Clarify these concepts with specific, personal examples.

• The slides are a guide. At the heart of mentoring is relationship building. Working through the slides together and having in-depth conversations will help you to build a relationship with your mentee.

• Familiarize yourself with the mentoring slides before each meeting. Reviewing the content before you meet with our mentee will give you time to process the material and think of relevant examples.

• You have support! Feel free to reach out for extra guidance on facilitation.

• Have fun!

The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

Mentoring TerminologyEach Mentoring Session follow this format:

• Learning Objectives – the main points of a mentoring session.

• Facilitation Tips - guidelines and advice on how to ensure that your mentee gets the most out of the session.

• Peer-to-Peer Discussion – a topic about which you and your mentee share your ideas / opinions.

• Take-Away(s) – concepts that your mentee should understand by the end of the session.

• Supplemental Worksheet – a guide designed to further explore and/or reinforce key concepts during the session

• Critical Reflection – ideas that warrant further, individual consideration by the mentee

The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

Learning Objectives

• Get to know each other

• Set personal goals for this mentoring program

• Understand the concept of a SMART goal

• Discuss communication styles

The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

Facilitation Tips

• Take the time to get to know your mentee! Be creative and ask questions outside of what is outlined in the ppt.

• Think about your personal goals in terms of mentoring prior to the session and be prepared to share. That way, you can better assist your mentee in determining their goals.

• Set a weekly day and time to meet. Commit to it.

The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

Take Aways

• Your mentee should be excited about the VIH Mentoring Program & the VIH Network!

The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership

Resources

• Oakley-Henning, M. (2010). Goal setting workshop. Pennsylvania Campus Compact.

The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership