Become a Mentor
Mentoring a student in research, scholarship, and creative practice is one of the most direct ways to shape their trajectory — and it strengthens your own scholarly or creative work along the way. Faculty across every college mentor both undergraduate and graduate students in the lab, the archive, the studio, and the field. Whatever your discipline, the Center for Student Research and Scholarly Engagement (CSRSE) can help you get started.
CSRSE supports all mentors, undergraduate and graduate, through structured research mentor training and ongoing professional development, including evidence-based best practices, mentor tools, and faculty learning communities.
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate student mentoring is supported through CSRSE funding and recognition — including grants for student research and travel, the Undergraduate Research Assistant program that funds students to work alongside you, and mentor recognition through the Haas-Stiner Mentoring Award, the Seeger Faculty Fellowship, or the university-wide Distinguished Undergraduate Mentoring Award.
Graduate students
Graduate student mentoring support runs primarily through your academic department, with additional resources through CSRSE's Graduate Student Research hub — and outstanding graduate mentors can be recognized through the university-wide Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award.
Ready to Mentor, but Need to Connect with Students?
If you have room to take on a student but don't have one lined up:
Undergraduate: List your opportunity on ForagerOne so interested students can find you. If you don’t have a specific opportunity for students, be sure to keep your ForagerOne profile updated. Interested students will find you.
Graduate: Most graduate research support comes from the academic department — contact your program's Graduate Program Director to be connected with a student. Graduate students are also directed to CSRSE's Graduate Student Research hub. Students can also review Research & Travel Funding for graduate-level funding options.
Not Ready to Mentor a Student? Here Are Other Ways to Get Involved
Mentoring projects isn't the only way to support student research, scholarship, and creative practice.
- Become a CSRSE Faculty Champion
- Judge student presentations at Student Scholars Day (SSD)
- Join a committee (SSD, Kindschi or Seeger Faculty Review Committees, Presidential Research Grant Review Committee) or run for a seat on Undergraduate Research Council
- Participate in Community of Practice session or workshop
- Invite OURS Ambassadors to give a classroom presentation introducing students to research, scholarship, or creative practice
- Join the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). More information about CUR is available at cur.org
- Have another idea? Let is know by emailing [email protected].
How Do I Refer a Student to CSRSE?
We would love to work with your students. Please fill out our referral form and we will connect directly with them and set up an appointment.