WaMPS Mentoring Programs

Mission statement

Each year, WaMPS offers a series of mentoring programs targeted at providing support to students at different stages in their academic career. We do this by matching students with mentors. Mentoring is multi-faceted, providing an embodied experience to develop professionally and personally for both the mentor and mentee. If there are any questions, please direct them to Carissa Myers or Roy Salinas for more information.

 

Graduate-Undergraduate Mentoring Program

The Graduate-Undergraduate Mentoring Program is a collaborative initiative between WaMPS and Stellar physics with the aid of Society of Physics Students (SPS). We pair up graduate and undergraduate students together to provide enlightenment in research, personal development, and camaraderie. 

To join this program, please stay tuned for updates!

Graduate-Graduate Mentoring Program

This is a mentoring program where we match first year graduate students with second year or higher year graduate students. Purpose being to ameliorate the process in transitioning from undergraduate to graduate as it can be challenging and is paramount to the success of an individual in graduate school.

To join this program, please stay tuned for updates!

Post Doctorate-Graduate Mentoring Program

The mentoring program between graduate students further along in their studies and Postdoctoral faculty (Post-docs) at MSU is poised at providing guidance in achieving a successful transition from a graduate student to Ph.D. The accrued knowledge of a Postdoc can be an essential tool for a graduate student close to graduation. 

To join this program, please fill out these forms by given date: TBD
 

Mentoring Program(s) Supports

The Mentoring Program(s) strive to support undergraduate students by:

• Collectively creating and maintaining a safe space for the cultivation of open, authentic, and honest relationships between graduate and undergraduate students
• Providing insight into graduate studies and life through exposure to and via encouragement to explore different disciplines and post-baccalaureate tracks 
• Encourage students to reflect on their academic experiences and consider how they wish to move forward with their future whether pursuing graduate studies or industry

These goals can be met by discussing the following topics with undergraduates provided below:

• Discussing the norms and expectations of the mentee/mentor relationship
• Transition to being a graduate students (norms & expectations)
• Differences and similarities of the norms and expectations of an undergraduate student vs. a graduate student (adjusting to the university)
• Mental health
• Underrepresentation that the parties are facing or creating awareness
• Discussing tests/exams & coursework
• Applying for research positions (including REUs)
• Research goals, topics, & practices
• Research advisors and mentors
• Discussing the long-term career goals of both mentee and mentor
• Discussing work-life balance or time management

The Mentoring Program(s) strive to support graduate students by:

• Cultivating healthy and equitable relationships as mentors
• Building communication skills through discussion and reflection
• Encouragement to share and reflect on their own experiences to give insight to or validate mentees’ experiences, and support the growth of their mentees and themselves through discussion of successes and challenges in their (referencing graduate or undergraduate students) careers  

These goals can be met by discussing the following topics with graduate students provided below:

• Transition to being graduate student (norms & expectations)
• Mental Health
• Subject exams
• Research goals, topics & practices
• Research advisors and mentors
• Camaraderie
• Discussing long-term career goals
• Work-Life Life Balance or Time Management
• Teaching

The Mentoring Program(s) strive to support postdoctoral research fellows by:

• Sharing knowledge and experience with current graduate student(s)
• Provide exposure to various different backgrounds 
• Aim at further developing communication as a scientist 

These goals can be met by discussing the following topics with postdocs provided below:

• Academic job applications 
• Grant applications and writing
• Developing and managing collaborations
• Developing and managing research projects 
• Writing and publishing papers
• Transitioning to being an Early Career Researcher