CBS is launching its Graduate Mentorship Program in Summer 2025! Mentoring provides graduate students with additional perspectives and advice on transitioning from school to the workplace, exploring novel career paths, developing skills needed to get into various sectors, and building a network of colleagues with whom to exchange thoughts and resources.
OVERVIEW
- Structured opportunity for career-focused mentorship, overseen by the ADR Office.
- Graduate alumni and graduate students are carefully matched.
- It encourages the exchange of ideas, knowledge, experiences, and advice, and the development of teamwork and communication skills.
PROGRAM GOALS
- Career Guidance and Exploration: Provide graduate students with insights into various career paths and sectors by leveraging the experiences and knowledge of alumni. This aims to help students make informed decisions about their career trajectories, understand the skills and qualifications needed for different roles, and keep abreast of the dynamic nature of careers in biology.
- Professional Skill Development: Enhance the professional skills of graduate students through targeted mentorship. Alumni can offer guidance and demonstrate essential skills such as networking, communication, leadership, and problem-solving, helping students become well-rounded professionals ready to enter the workforce.
- Networking and Relationship Building: Foster meaningful connections between graduate students and alumni to build a supportive professional network. This aims to create opportunities for students to expand their professional contacts and receive support and advice from experienced professionals.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a CBS graduate student (thesis or course-based).
- If in MSc/PhD Bioinformatics program, your advisor must be a CBS faculty member.
- Be registered in Summer 2025, when the program starts.
MATCHING PROCESS
We make handpicked matches based on:
- Disciplinary background
- Interest in academic and non-academic careers
- Interest in particular sectors (government, academic, not for profit, industry) and roles
- Desired skills expertise
- Unique career aspirations and/or lived experiences (e.g., student wants international experience, BIPOC mentor, or mentor with academic and non-academic experience)
IMPORTANT: We cannot guarantee that all students who apply will get a match; our ability to match students is limited by the availability of mentors. Students who have a strong match and/or are closer to graduation will get priority for matching. Students who do not get matched will have priority the following year.
TIMELINES AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Application
A call for applications goes out to students in March. Students are offered to attend information sessions and must apply in late April by the indicated deadline.
Matching
The College matches students and mentors based on disciplinary background, skills, career interests, and lived experience. A maximum of three students will be matched to a mentor.
Mentoring
Mentors and mentees meet online at least four times between June and December. Each encounter is between 30 and 60 minutes. Meeting for longer or in-person is at the discretion of each group.
EXPECTATIONS AND VALUES
We expect students to demonstrate respect, empathy, communication, initiative, and commitment.
- Respect people’s personal interests, opinions, and lived experiences. Respect other people’s time and effort put into the program. Respect confidentiality, personal boundaries, and decisions.
- Show empathy for others, even if you do not fully understand their lived experience. Celebrate successes, acknowledge challenges and barriers, and validate feelings.
- Express yourself clearly and concisely, both written and orally. Respect other people’s preferences for communication and follow appropriate etiquette for online and in-person communication.
- Demonstrate initiative and do your own research. Come prepared to your meetings and contribute to the conversation. Keep in mind that mentors do not have all the answers.
- Commit to attending all your meetings, being punctual, and participating in the program from start to finish. If you registered and got a match, follow through with the program.
