Research & Service Leadership Symposium

Everyone! Full or part-time Foothill faculty, staff, and administrators can all serve as mentors. 

• Recruit students to participate
• Promote the RSLS in your classes, clubs, programs
• Inspire!
• Meet regularly with students 
• Coach and guide students through obstacles
• Provide subject expertise & experience
• Assist students in writing a project proposal & completing the application
• Assist students in developing the presentation

Many mentors recruit students from their current or prior classes, clubs, or programs. But, you may work with any student who would like to work with you. We may refer a student to you if your area of expertise is a good match for the project, or you may receive a request from a student. You can also reach out to a student if you have expertise to provide, or if you can serve to guide them through the process. You may work with just one student, multiple students in a single group project, or multiple students individually on separate projects. You decide!

The time you spend depends on you and the student. Some mentors meet regularly to help with project development while others meet only to assist with the application or presentation. A good strategy is to meet with the student early in the process to determine what works for both of you. If you are working with multiple students or teams, this may increase your time commitment. 

The relationship you build is up to you and the student. Many mentors enjoy a more active role, working side-by-side on projects with their mentees, or engaging in workshops. Others take a strictly advisory or editorial role. The type of project or the stage of development will also guide your relationship. And location may also shape your relationship. It is possible to work with a student who is in another city, country or time zone. You can mentor virtually or face-to-face. 

While there are no requirements for mentoring, an important first step is to assist students with the application. This includes reviewing the proposal and application for clarity before submitting, responding to the notifications for mentor "approval," and guiding students on revisions. Another critical step is to assist in presentation development, by assisting in the preparation of slides or materials, and by encouraging practice of the presentation before the event. You can also help students meet important deadlines.

When students apply to the RSLS, they include their mentor's contact information. All notifications sent to students will also be sent to mentors. Some of these notifications will ask you to respond directly or take action. For example, when the application is submitted, we request mentor "approval" on the Smartsheet form. We want to make sure you've agreed to serve as the student's mentor, and that you've reviewed their project proposal. We will also provide regular updates on deadlines for revisions, additional information, final presentation submissions, and workshops. You can follow up with your mentee to encourage them to meet these deadlines, to review their work, and to attend workshops. You may also attend the workshops to get more insights into each step of the process. 

We value your time and commitment to your students. Professional development credit (PGA/PAA) can be requested for the ongoing mentorship role you play, and for each mentorship workshop you attend. Please review the Foothill College Professional Development website for more information and forms specific to the RSLS: Earning PGA/PAA for RSLS.