Mentorship Program

Finding your way in academia can be confusing, overwhelming, and intimidating. How do you choose the right conference? The right journal? The right research project? And who can you ask for advice? ESN can help. The ESN mentorship programme will match emerging scholars with mentors from IAMCR in order to:

• provide mentees with advice, guidance, and assistance at IAMCR and in their work
• develop research, publications, and participation in IAMCR and other academic communities
• exchange ideas, perspectives, and research
• meet informally at conferences and communicate periodically during the year

A mentor is a good contact for you as you become part of the academic community. Maintaining a good relationship with your mentor can help you find better research and publication opportunities, connect you with senior scholars in your field, and provide a valuable outside perspective on your career goals and plans. Read the mentee guide for some more suggestions.

How to participate

Finding your way in academia can be confusing, overwhelming, and intimidating. How do you choose the right conference? The right journal? The right research project? And who can you ask for advice? The Emerging Scholars Network can help with the ESN Mentorship Programme. 

The inspiration of ESN founding member Katharine Sarikakis, the Mentorship Programme aims to connect emerging scholars with senior scholar mentors for guidance and assistance related to professional development. As mentors, established scholars meet with a mentee at conferences and are available for basic feedback and advice via email throughout the year. Read our mentee guide for further information.

The ESN Mentorship Coordinator, Jennifer Henrichsen, will release a call for participation in spring, 2017. 

If you have any questions about the Mentorship Program, please email Jennifer directly at jennifer.henrichsen(at)asc.upenn.edu

Mentor commitments

• meet with mentee at IAMCR conferences
• communicate periodically during the year
• provide advice and feedback on conference, publication, and research plans

Mentee commitments

• meet with montor at IAMCR conferences
• communicate periodically during the year
• provide mentors with occasional updates on research and publication projects
• be prepared with questions and ideas

Tips and suggestions

Come to mentorship meetings with a few specific questions prepared. be sure to spend time listening! Tell your mentor a little bit about yourself first, but be brief – he or she already has your CV.

• talk with your mentor about how much contact and feedback he or she is able to provide.
• send occasional updates on your research progress and planned activities to keep your mentorship relationship active (4 or 5 times per year)
• be careful not to overwhelm your mentor with papers to read or a flood of emails.

Remember, a mentor is not an academic advisor. Instead of specific research critiques, seek out general guidance and advice. Read our mentee guide for some more suggestions.