Best Practices in Mentoring in NOAA Scholarship Programs

Abstract:

Through established scholarship programs, NOAA hosts 125 – 175 undergraduate students each summer to participate in internship opportunities at agency facilities. In order to host a scholar, NOAA labs and offices must designate a mentor who develops a project and oversees activities of the student throughout the summer. NOAA implements best practices in mentoring in the following ways: mentor and intern responsibilities are clearly defined in a manual; mentors are required to take an online mentor training class; mentors and scholars are matched through an online system and scholars conduct a site visit prior to beginning the internship; proposed internship projects are reviewed by scholarship program managers to assure they are sufficiently analytical and will advance the student in their future academic and career goals; and mentors are surveyed at the midpoint, allowing scholarship program managers to identify problems and intervene if possible. These practices have resulted in strong results. Students identify the mentor relationship, hands-on experience and networking with professionals as the three most important outcomes of the internship experience.