AFS Offers Mentoring at Annual Meeting; Mentors, Students Should Apply Now

Consider being a part of the AFS Mentoring program. This program pairs students or new professionals with established professionals so that each may get to know the other better. Mentees and their mentors spend a minimum of a half-day together sometime during the meeting to make connections and exchange ideas. Proposed activities are at the mentor’s discretion, but potentially include attending meeting sessions together, a breakfast, coffee, or lunch date, introductions and conversations with other scholars the mentor knows, discussion of the mentee’s goals and interests, and personalized advice about the field. It is encouraged, but not required, that mentees stay in touch with their mentors and continue to use them as a resource beyond the meeting. Mentees may suggest a potential mentor in their letter of application if they wish but should not expect to be paired with someone specifically. Mentors may or may not share the exact interests of applicants; rather, mentors are chosen based on availability, potential overlap of interests, and willingness to work with mentees.

AFS members interested in becoming mentors can contact Diane Tye or Lisa Gilman by email at dtye@mun.ca or lmgilman@uoregon.edu

Any students or recent graduates who are members of AFS, and who are attending the 2016 annual meeting in Miami, Florida, may apply to the program. If accepted, mentees must commit to the program by doing background research on their mentor and attending the mentoring program in a well-informed manner. Applicants should send a one-page letter of inquiry outlining broad professional goals, research interests (if applicable), and what they hope to accomplish by participating in the mentoring program, along with a CV to Diane Tye or Lisa Gilman by email at dtye@mun.ca or lmgilman@uoregon.edu

The deadline for letters of inquiry is August 1.