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The Mentoring Students into the Literacy Profession program connects GVSU students with faculty mentors in Literacy Studies, Teaching and Learning and English as well as with professional literacy communities across Michigan. Through mentorship, professional conference participation, collaborative inquiry, and presentation opportunities, students are supported in developing their identities as literacy educators and becoming active members of the literacy profession.

The program invites undergraduate and graduate students at GVSU who are interested in deepening their engagement with literacy education beyond their coursework.

Each year, a cohort of students join a small mentoring group supported by faculty mentors in Literacy Studies, Teaching and Learning, and English. Funded through the Academic and Professional Enrichment Fund, Academic Conference Fund, and department funds, mentees participate in professional learning together and work collaboratively toward sharing their work with professional audiences.

Applications for Cohort 4 are now being accepted. Prospective mentees in secondary English language arts education who are interested in attending the Michigan Council of Teachers of English Conference on October 16, 2026 should submit their applications by September 14, 2026. Prospective mentees in elementary literacy education who are interested in attending the Michigan Reading Association Conference from March 13-14, 2027 should submit their applications by January 29, 2027.

Mentee application 

As a participant in Mentoring Students into the Literacy Profession, you will have opportunities to:

• Build relationships with faculty mentors who can support your growth as a literacy educator and professional.
• Join a professional literacy community by attending Michigan Reading Association (MRA) and/or Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) conferences.
• Learn from practicing educators and literacy scholars through conference sessions, conversations, and professional networking.
• Connect your coursework to professional practice by exploring how ideas from your Literacy Studies, Teaching and Learning and English university courses are taken up in K-12 schools and other literacy settings.
• Develop your expertise and professional identity by identifying questions and topics in literacy education that matter to you.
• Collaborate with GVSU students and faculty to develop and share your own ideas about literacy teaching and learning.
• Develop and submit a conference proposal for a future MRA or MCTE conference.
• Prepare and present your work at a subsequent MRA or MCTE professional conference with the option to also present at GVSU's Student Scholars Day or Graduate Showcase.
• Build professional relationships and networks that can continue to support your learning throughout your career.
• Gain experiences that set you apart professionally by developing skills and accomplishments you can highlight on your CV, in interviews, and in future professional opportunities.

1. Connect: You will meet with a faculty mentor and participate in a small community of students who share an interest in literacy education.
2. Learn: You will attend a professional literacy conference with your peers and mentors, participate in conference sessions, and engage with practicing educators and literacy scholars.
3. Develop: You will reflect on your professional learning and work with your peers and faculty mentors to identify questions, interests, and ideas that you would like to explore further.
4. Contribute: You will develop your own literacy-focused presentation and submit a proposal to present at a future MRA or MCTE conference; you can also share your work at GVSU's Student Scholars Day or Graduate Showcase.
5. Reflect: Throughout the experience, you will reflect on your development as a literacy professional and provide feedback to help us strengthen the program for future cohorts.

Mentoring will take place through individual and small-group conversations, collaborative planning, proposal development, presentation preparation, and reflection.

Faculty mentors in Literacy Studies, Teaching and Learning, and the English Department will support students throughout the experience by helping them:

• navigate and participate in professional conferences;
• identify and pursue areas of interest in literacy education;
• connect professional learning to their coursework and experiences as educators;
• develop ideas into proposals and presentations;
• practice communicating their work to professional audiences;
• prepare for the expectations and opportunities of professional conferences; and
• reflect on their growth as literacy educators and members of the profession.

If you have questions about the Mentoring Students into the Literacy Profession, please contact:

• Elizabeth Petroelje Stolle, Ph.D.Professor in Literacy StudiesLiteracy, Educational Foundations, & Technology
• Phone: 616-331-6242 Email: [email protected]