Mentorship may take several forms and serve a variety of purposes; nevertheless, McKinsey (2016) summed up the multiple definitions by noting that to mentor “is to offer sensible counsel and instruction.” One might ask why companies, schools, and other community organizations establish mentorship programs so regularly. The explanation is most likely because the benefits of a mentor/mentee relationship have so much factual backing. Virtual interactions are commonplace due to the exceptional times of COVID-19.
Faculty Perspective
Although professors may reap fewer benefits from mentoring relationships than students, there are significant benefits to becoming mentors. Mentoring students have clear professional benefits since many teaching positions emphasize service and mentorship as a career progression. Mentoring undergraduate students can, therefore, have a measurable, extrinsic value. The most substantial advantages, however, are intangible.
Student Perspective
Benefits from my mentor after numerous online talks over several weeks are:
Academic Benefits
Dr. Kennette informed me of lesser-known student awards and showed me how to use research tools for academic paper writing. She also gave me advice on contacting a professor for research experience and what research I should conduct prior.
Professional Benefits
Initially, I had a general notion of where I wanted to go with my career. Dr. Kennette shared her experience and described the different parts of life to consider, which helped me figure out what path I wanted to take. She also provided me with opportunities to expand my professional horizons.
Emotional Benefits
Dr. Kennette gave me much-needed help as a first-generation university student, which substantially lowered my anxiety. Online correspondence was also less scary than a "live" chat since I could prepare what I wanted to say and revise it until I was happy. She also actively listened to my problems and gave me personalized counsel.
Social Benefits
Communicating with her online has encouraged me to improve my writing and allowed me to examine the writing style of a published author. Dr. Kennette has also helped me expand my social network by connecting me with other like-minded people at my university. Online mentoring, according to this article, is useful to both faculty and students.
To learn in detail about online mentorship, click here.