The Family of Mentoring Activities at the University of Minnesota:

Co-Curricular and Career Based Programs in the Support of Developmental

Outcomes 2008 Mentoring Conference

University of New Mexico

Laurie Blank, Student Coordinator, First Year Leadership Institute

Ronald Frazzini, Ph.D., Researcher and Mentor Coordinator

Mallory Marshall, Student Coordinator, LeaderQuest Program

University of MinnesotaStudent Engagement and LeadershipOffice for Student Affairs128 Pleasant Street S.E.Minneapolis, MN 55455

QuestionDoes mentoring support student engagement

and emphasize University Development Outcomes?

–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions

Summary

–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions

The College Career Programs

Biological Sciences

College of Design

College of Education and Human Development

Journalism and Mass Communication

Medical School

Carlson School of ManagementCollege of Liberal Arts

Pharmacy

Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

Public HealthInstitute of Technology

Industrial Relations Center - Carlson School of Management

Veterinary medicine

College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

40,572 undergraduate students - About 1195 Students participated last year

College Program Goals

• Students have the opportunity to develop a relationship with an alumnus to get career information, professional contacts, and share real world experiences.

• Students get to learn from the professional experiences of their mentors. Mentors get to play a role in training future public health leaders.

• Volunteer professionals in technical fields help students prepare for the transition from the academic environment to the professional world.

• Opportunities to develop professional skills outside the classroom through the guidance of professionals in the community.

Some Snapshots

Alumni Association “Mentor Connection”

• Composed of mentor coordinators from each of the colleges

• Once-a-month sharing of experiences.• Resource for hosting workshops, social

events and mentor /student recognition• “Best Practices”� and training workshops• Recruitment• Mentor guidebook

Summary

–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions

Some Co-Curricular Programs• Programs Centered About Cultural and Youth Based

Organizations– GLBTA Mentoring Programs– Multicultural Family Literacy Program– Midwest Campus Compact Citizen-Scholar Fellows Program

• Faculty to Student Mentoring– McNair Scholars

• President’s Emerging Leaders• Leadership Programs

– First Year Leadership Institute, Tom Burnett Leadership Program– LeaderQuest

• Faculty to Faculty• Veteran’s Transition Group

• Developed and Facilitated by Student Coordinator• Program Goals

– Self-awareness and Critical Thinking– Consider personal values, purpose, morals and ethics, networking,

understanding others, and unraveling complicated social problems

• Mentoring as a Program Element – ‘Triad’ and ‘Dyad’ relationships

• 2004 - 5% Considered this useful• 2007 - Grown to 74%

– Group Mentoring– Accountability Partnership– Mentor from the Community

LeaderQuest ProgramDevelopment

Summary

–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions

Research Relating to Mentoring

– Vincent Tinto, Douglas Guiffrida• Academic and social integration enhances commitment • Motivation of family and friendships

– Dixon Rayle and Chung• “Mattering” decreases feelings of marginality

– Kram, and Girves et al. • Psychosocial and vocational categories of mentoring• Per surveys, psychosocial functions are most important

Engagement with the University

It is proposed that mentoring provides another mechanism for “mattering,”

engagement and emphasis of Developmental Outcomes

Developmental Outcomes• University of Minnesota

– Self Awareness

– Responsibility and Accountability

– Goal Orientation

– Independence and Interdependence

– Resilience

– Appreciation and Differences

– Tolerance of Ambiguity

University of Minnesota Activity Studies

Student Activity

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Hours Attending Class

Organized Extracurricular Hours

Percent with No Extracurricular Activity

Hours Studying per Week

Percent with No Work Hours

Percent with 20 or More Work Hours

Percent or Mean as Noted

Ronald L. Huesman, Jr., Office of Institutional Research and Reporting, University of Minnesota January, 2004The 2003 Student Experiences Survey Report

University of MinnesotaImpact of Mentoring

• MSL study surveyed leadership qualities

• Based on the Social Change Model

University Of Maryland (2006), Multi-Institutional Study Of Leadership: University Of Minnesota Final Report. The National Clearinghouse For Leadership Programs, ACPA Educational Leadership Foundation, & NASPA Foundation, MSL/ NCLP.

Social Change Model

Astin, Helen, “Leadership for Social Change,” About Campus, July-August 1996.

MSL Study

• Part of the MSL study environment was mentoring by:– Student– Community Member– Employer– Faculty– Student Affairs – None

Two of the Questions• In an average academic term, do you engage in any community

service?• Looking back to before you started college, please indicate your

agreement with the following items. (Using the 1-5 Likert scale)• Hearing differences in opinions enriched my thinking.• I had low self esteem.• I worked well in changing environments.• I enjoyed working with others toward common goals.• I held myself accountable for responsibilities I agreed to.• I worked well when I knew the collective values of a group.• My behaviors reflected my beliefs.• I valued the opportunities that allowed me to contribute to my community.• I thought of myself as a leader ONLY if I was the head of a group.

University of MinnesotaImpact of Mentoring

University Development Outcomes–Self Awareness

–Responsibility and Accountability

–Goal Orientation

–Independence and Interdependence

–Resilience

–Appreciation and Differences

–Tolerance of Ambiguity

Social Change Model–Consciousness of Self

–Congruence

–Commitment

–Collaboration

–Common Purpose

–Controversy with Civility

–Citizenship

–Change

Three Important Elements of the Model

Social Change Model• Consciousness of self -

Awareness of the beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions.

• Collaboration - To work with others in a common effort.

• Change - The ability to adapt to evolving environments and situations.

University Development Outcomes

• Self Awareness – Knowing personal strengths and talents.

• Independence and Interdependence – Knowing when to collaborate or act on their own.

• Tolerance of Ambiguity – Demonstrating the ability to perform in complicated environments.

Results - Consciousness of Self

Effect of the Mentor Relationship in Developing Consciousness of Self

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

3.9

4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

Never Met Once Several Many

Frequency of Meetings with Mentor

Impact 5=Most Satisfied

Student Affairs Faculty Employer Community Other Student

Results - CollaborationEffects of Mentor Relationship in Developing a Collaboration

Skill

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

3.9

4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

Never Met Once Several Many

Frequentcy of Meeting with Mentor

Impact - 5=Most Satisfied

Student Affairs Faculty Employer Community Other Student

Results - Adapting to ChangeEffect of the Mentor Relationship in Developing

Adaptibility to Change

3.5

3.55

3.6

3.65

3.7

3.75

3.8

3.85

3.9

3.95

4

4.05

Never Met Once Several Many

Frequency of Meeting with Mentor

Impact 5=Most Satisfied

Student Affairs Faculty Employer Community Other Student

Summary

–Sample of Career Based Programs–Some Details of the Co-Curricular Programs–Research Pertaining to Mentoring–Training–Conclusions

Mentor Connection Surveys• How do you feel your experience with the

mentor program will assist you in reaching your career and professional goals?– My mentor was too busy to meet with me even

once. I would say it will not assist me in any way

– My mentor helped solidify my reasons for wanting to be an engineer by showing me many different projects that he worked on.

Mentor Connection Surveys• Do you have any suggestions for improving

the program for next year?– Match up majors better. Sales and Marketing

are two different fields – More sponsored events at different times. We

tried to make a few, but his schedule never allowed it

– Nothing much because the program is already very good

Training• Emphasizes the importance of generalized skills that

are a requisite for any profession.• Training both mentor and student to:

– Set initial goals– Establish communication between themselves– Have diligence in setting up and adhering to meetings– Establish a level of trust

• Emphasis on:– Critical thinking– Sensitivity for community– Self-analysis and reflection

• And...maybe more informal social events for unstructured conversation and networking

Conclusions• Research shows engagement and “mattering”

contribute to improved grades and retention.• Mentoring is a positive element in achieving

Social Change leadership skills.• Mentoring helps achieve University

Developmental Outcomes.• Mentoring can be broad based using peer,

community, faculty and student affairs people.• Training is a prerequisite.

Question

Does mentoring support student engagement and emphasize University

Development Outcomes?

Research and experience say yes