Mentored Employment Program Faculty Details
Welcome to the College of Forestry Mentored Employment Program. As a Faculty member, you have an unique opportunity to engage with undergraduate students in meaningful research projects and field experiences. Here are some program highlights:
- Guided Research: Under the mentorship of knowledgeable faculty and Post Doc researchers, students gain valuable research experience.
- Industry Connections: Participants build important industry connections.
- Mentoring Relationships: Enjoy meaningful relationships and foster a love of learning.
- Balanced Approach: Students gain exposure to research while earning income and Faculty receive valuable assistance on critical research work.
What is mentorship?
Mentorship is a professional relationship between a faculty member (mentor) and an undergraduate student (protégé). Its purpose is to foster, guide, teach, and enhance learning experiences. As a mentor, you play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of scholars.
Benefits of being a faculty mentor:
Beyond project assistance, mentoring offers students exposure to possible career paths, advancement of classroom-learned skills through hands-on experiences, and a fresh perspective on your research endeavors.
Who can be a mentor?
- College of Forestry faculty
- Post-doctoral researchers
- Faculty research assistants
- Extension faculty
Where can you be a mentor?
- Laboratory
- Field location
- Online/remote work
What are mentor expectations?
- Agree on project goals and outcomes with your student protege.
- Define the project timeline, required training, communication preference, and meeting schedule.
- Encourage participation in the year end Poster Symposium.
- Provide a brief end-of-year write-up about your MEP experience.
How much time should mentors plan to spend with protégés?
- Mentoring is vital. Plan to spend 1-3 hours per week interacting with student mentees (in-person, remote, email, etc.).
Ideal MEP projects:
- Research assistance (lab, field)
- Teaching or educational initiatives
- Programmatic development (new programs for a unit/entities)
- Project-based assignment within a team project
Please review the Student Technical Assistant Pool position description to be sure that your project aligns with the possible tasks/duties protégé’s might perform while working for you.
Download Examples of Mentored Employment Program projects (Power Point document): 
MEP_Project_Example_Slides.pptx
MEP funding information:
The Mentored Employment Program provides funding for projects that align with educational program goals.
- Funds are used to pay student wages/OPE and are available during fall, winter, and spring terms only.
- Projects are evaluated based on the quality of experience provided to CoF undergraduate protégés.
- Projects should align with the duties and qualifications outlined in the CoF Mentored Employment Program (Student Technical Assistant Pool 2024-25) job posting.
- Monthly fund updates assist with planning protégé hours and prevent overspending of MEP funds.
- If protégé hours exceed MEP funds, an alternate index (provided by faculty or the department) can cover additional hours.
- Funding is limited and will only be awarded to one proposal per faculty member.
Students must meet the following requirements to participate:
- Currently enrolled as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student in the College of Forestry.
- Part-time students are eligible
- Students with only a CoF minor are not eligible
- Good academic standing (not on academic probation or suspension).
Targeted Mentorship Opportunities
- Students from underserved and underrepresented communities, who enhance our diverse college community
- First generation students
- Veterans
- First and second year students (including incoming Transfer students)
- Students new to mentorship and research experiences
Maximum weekly Mentored Employment Program hours:
- MEP runs during fall, winter and spring terms only.
- Students are allowed to work a maximum of 24 total hours per week. If they hold multiple positions on campus, they will need to split their hours accordingly. The most current Employment Eligibility and Maximum Allowable Hours can be found in the Student Employment Manual.
Presentation Opportunities:
Students are encouraged to present their research:
- Spring term MEP Poster Symposium (date/time TBD)
- Fall Virtual Symposium (FVS)
- Western Forestry Graduate Research Symposium (WFGRS)
Get involved!
Interested in mentoring an undergraduate through MEP? Submit a proposal detailing your project's impact on research and type of experience students can expect!
Questions about the Mentored Employment Program can be directed to Brooke Harrington in the Student Services Office, 116 Peavy Forest Science Center, (541) 737-1593