Region XII

Mentoring Program

Structure and Overview

 

Through the Region XII Mentoring Program, new international educators will utilize an assigned Region XII Mentor to develop awareness of the basic skill sets and key start-up resources required to begin a career in this field.

 

Mentor Job Description: Mentors must commit to participate for at least one full cycle (one year). Mentors must attend the Region XII conference at the beginning and end of the year. To have the expertise necessary to be a successful mentor, mentors must have at least three years of experience in the field of international education. Mentors must be current NAFSA members, or must be recommended by a current NAFSA member.

 

Mentee Description: Mentees who have 15 months or fewer in the field of international education will be given preference. Mentees are not required to be NAFSA members.

 

Tools/Start-up kit for participants: Program participants will receive a recommended reading list, regulatory information, sample job descriptions, suggested training opportunities, a list of helpful internet sites, and networking opportunities.

 

Communication/Timeline:

Phase

Timeline

Description

Application/

Matching

Aug – Oct (During the 2-3 months before the conference)

Prospective mentors and mentees submit applications for participation to NAFSA Region XII Membership Chair. Mentors and mentees are matched based first on KC area, and then on geographic location, taking into account any special requests. Mentors approve of match before mentee is notified.

Meeting

At NAFSA Region XII conference (Oct/Nov)

- Mentor and mentee meet at Newcomers Session

-Mentors and mentees meet again at stand-alone mini-training session

- Mentor and mentee begin to define their expectations of each other over the coming year. Mentor and mentee define action items for goals that mentee shared on application.

Mentoring

One Regional conf. to the next

-Mentor and mentee are in contact as often as agreed, but hopefully at least once a month to establish mentee’s goals, discuss progress on goals, ask and answer questions, or generally to support emergent needs of the mentee.

Evaluation and Conclusion

At six months and at 12 months,

At the subsequent Regional Conference

-After six months, and again at twelve months (or prior to the regional conference, whichever is first), mentor and mentee evaluate mentee’s progress towards meeting goals and objectives established at the beginning of the program. They discuss plans for future growth and development.

-At the conference, during Newcomer’s Session, award certificates to mentors and mentees, then welcome the new batch of mentors and mentees.

-After the conference, mentors and mentees will receive an e-mail form to evaluate their experience in the program.

 

 

 

 

Application Information: Mentor candidates and Mentee candidates will submit a letter of interest and completed application form providing information about their KC affiliation or interest, geographic region and other pieces of information to assist in making a good match.

 

As part of the application process, mentee applicants will be asked to list 3 to 5 goals of their participation in the program. The mentor will be provided with a copy of the mentee’s application, and will help mentee refine goals and identify action items for each goal during the Mentoring Program meeting at the regional conference.

 

The number of mentees accepted into the program will depend on the number of mentors who volunteer. If there is an excess of mentees applying, mentors will be asked if they are willing to take on more than one mentee before any mentee is excluded from the program. Otherwise, mentees will be matched on a first-come, first-served basis, as well as by KC and length of time in the field.

Mentor/Mentee Program Application (Microsoft Word Format .DOC)