FACULTY MENTORS
Faculty research mentors should serve 4 functions: (1) to include the scholar in their own research (or some aspect of it) or collaborate with the scholar on developing an individual research project; (2) to fill out the formal agreement and the contract detailing the relationship, the research project itself, the process for completing the project, and the research goals of the project (both the faculty mentor and the scholar will sign and turn in the research project contract to the program director); (3) to support, advise, and guide the scholar through the research process; and (4) to generally ensure that the scholar successfully accomplishes the research goals established as appropriate at the beginning of the project. Thus, while scholars are there to respectfully and openly learn from their faculty mentors, faculty members are there to provide scholars with the tools they need to accomplish their research/professional goals.
During a scholars first year in the program, she/he will work with a first-year group faculty research mentor to begin to develop their research interests and projects. After their first year in the program, each scholar will be assigned an individual faculty mentor to oversee and collaborate with the student in continuing to develop their research project. It is hoped that scholars will continue to work with their faculty research mentors for more than one academic year, however, if the scholar finds that she/he would work better with another mentor, she/he may change faculty mentors with the permission of the program director. Thus, scholars should keep in mind that it is absolutely required that they participate in a research project every year that they are in the program. And, after their first year in the program, that they establish a formal relationship and research project with a faculty research mentor.
The decisions as to who the faculty research mentor will be and what project the scholar and the faculty mentor will collaborate on is based on the scholar’s major and areas of identified research/professional interests. Scholars should view the selection of research projects as an opportunity to pursue subject matter or areas of interest that they are most passionate about and/or committed to, thus, we want students to work with research mentors who can help them to participate in the kinds of research/professional activities that will further their professional/educational goals. Moreover, scholars can provide input directly to the program director concerning who they would like their faculty research mentor to be, based on course work or interaction with faculty members.
However, the program cannot guarantee that scholars will be able to work with the faculty member who is their first choice. We will try, in consultation and collaboration with scholars, to get the faculty research mentor the scholar has chosen—especially if the faculty member does work in the student’s area of interest and/or particular major. And, please feel free to approach faculty members to ask if they’d be willing to serve as an Olaniyan Scholars Program faculty research mentor.
Scholars should remember that to fulfill their responsibilities in the program, they must establish and maintain good relationships with faculty members. In other words, scholars are their own best advocates (both as representatives of themselves/their academic work and the Olaniyan Scholars Program), particularly through their work in the classroom with faculty members. Being a diligent, mature, and intellectually-engaged student will go a long way toward convincing a faculty member to work with a scholar. If a student asks a faculty member to be their mentor, and the faculty member agrees, simply provide the faculty member’s contact information to the program director who will then contact the faculty member to begin the process of officially establishing the mentoring relationship.
Faculty Mentor Resources:
