A Practical Mentorship Model for Student Engagement

Now more than ever, faculty are concerned with ways to connect with their students and create a higher level of student engagement at their universities, in the classroom, and in their various programs. Students are seemingly... [ view full abstract ]

Now more than ever, faculty are concerned with ways to connect with their students and create a higher level of student engagement at their universities, in the classroom, and in their various programs. Students are seemingly more disengaged than ever before, and finding ways to engage and develop high performers is necessary in a time where student retention has become an issue for many universities.  Engagement as an outcome of mentoring programs will be explored through this workshop.  Student engagement in the mentorship model presented is viewed as a motivated and committed state of mind that leads to engaged behaviors. Drawing on literature from workplace mentoring programs and employee engagement, this workshop will present an adapted model to mentoring of students as a tool for increasing engagement.   This practical model addresses topics such as alignment of mentoring with organizational goals and determining which students will be the right fit for the mentoring process.  This model is based on a theoretical framework which utilizes organizational alignment, social exchange, and self-determination theories.