Educational Guide Tips on How to Be an Effective Protege...

• Be on time for your appointments with your mentor. This will ensure that you will get the most out of each session.
• The duration of this program is very short, so you want to make the effort to make it to all of the sessions.
• Prepare any questions you may have for your mentor before each session. It is also a good idea to read past conversations to refresh your memory on what was discussed before.
• Do not expect your mentor to know everything. Your mentor will try his/her best to answer all of your questions.
• Do not be afraid to tell the mentor you are confused about something you are discussing about.
• Do not hesitate to ask any questions you may have. The more questions you ask, the better!
• Respect the boundaries of this program.
• Do not ask questions about where your mentor lives, works, or any other identifiable information.
• Do not ask to meet with your mentor outside the scheduled session time.
• Make sure to start wrapping up the discussion during the remaining five minutes of each session. There will be a timer on the side of the chat box that will advise you when the five minutes have started.
• It is important that you show appreciation to your mentor for their time and effort as often as you can.
• Know what to expect from this program prior to starting to avoid unrealistic expectations.                                                 

• What you can expect...
  • encouragement
  • information on different careers, jobs, and schooling
  •  advice
  • feedback on your ideas or present and future decisions
  • respect
  • complete confidentiality although you may reveal as much information about yourself as you want.                            

• Do not expect...
  • to be mentored beyond however many weeks that your sessions last 
  • to get work references or a job from your mentor

How Do I Choose My Mentor?

• It is important that you choose a mentor that you feel has the most in common with you. That can range from their marital status to their specific experience in different jobs. Consider everything when making the decision that way you will feel as comfortable as you can during the chat sessions.
• It is also very important to remember that if you prefer to speak in Spanish make sure that you choose a mentor who also speaks Spanish.
• Keep in mind, that differences can be beneficial too! People who are different from you are likely to have ideas you never heard before and information you would not have normally come across. So, you might want to think about selecting a mentor specifically because they are different from you in a particular way that might make the conversation more interesting.
• What is important to one person may be very different from what is important to another person. So, it’s up to you to decide which factors are important and which are not as you search for just the right mentor.

Educational Tips on How To Be An Effective Mentor... 

• Be on time for your appointments with your protégé. This will ensure that you will get the most out of each session.
• The duration of this program is very short, so you want to make the effort to make it to all of the sessions.
• Prepare any resources you feel will be helpful to your protégé before each session.
• Read past conversations you have had in order to refresh your memory on what was discussed before and remind you what you needed to follow up on.
• Do not expect to know the answer to every question. Be prepared to inform your protégé that you will find the answer to his/her question and discuss it at the following session.
• Do not be afraid to tell the protégé you are confused about something you are discussing about.
• If you feel you are misunderstanding the protégé’s perspective, be able to use reflective language to make sure you understand correctly. For example, you can say, “It sounds to me like this situation is making you both frustrated and anxious. Is that right or are you feeling differently?”
• Be prepared to discuss topics such as time management, goal setting, new student issues, etc.
• Be prepared to direct students to the appropriate on-campus services (i.e. counseling) if you feel they have a problem that cannot be resolved through mentoring sessions.
• Be prepared to encourage and empower protégés to seek out opportunities and learning experiences that will enhance their first year of college and/or resume.
• Respect the boundaries of this program.
• Do not ask questions about where you’re protégé lives, works, or any other identifiable information.
• Do not ask to meet with your protégé outside the scheduled session time.
• Make sure to start wrapping up the discussion during the remaining five minutes of each session. There will be a timer on the side of the chat box that will advise you when the five minutes have started.
• It is important that you mention to your protégé that you are happy to help and welcome all questions.

• What you can expect...
• To empower and encourage students when they are feeling self-doubt
• To provide information on different careers, jobs, and schooling
• To offer advice when students are not sure what action to take in a situation
• To give feedback on protégé’s past, present, and future decisions
• To give as well as receive respect
• To maintain complete confidentiality about your protégé