GPSF Aims\To Initiate \Mentoring

The graduate and professional students will advise undergraduates in similar fields and help them make informed decisions about their education and career plans.

The majority of the mentorship process will take place through e-mail, minimizing the time commitment involved.

"The program is for undergraduate students who have ambitions for the future, but who aren't quite so sure about which graduate school is right for them," said GPSF President Thad Woody.

The interactions between mentors and undergraduates will aim to give the latter a realistic impression of what life is like in graduate school.

Woody said he hopes the information undergraduates receive from mentorship will be more beneficial than information students gain from reading graduate school catalogs.

Rhonda Litterer, a sophomore biology major who is exploring options for post-undergraduate study, said she would consider participating in the project.

"The mentor program sounds like a good idea," she said. "It would give you a better idea of what you would be doing if you chose to continue your education."

The GPSF has also received positive response from potential mentors.

"I've had tremendous interest with graduate students who are excited about the possibility of interacting with undergraduates," Woody said.

Chris Myers, a graduate student in the history department, said, "I would love to participate in e-mentoring."

Myers is leaving UNC after this semester, but he will still be available for e-mail consultation with an undergraduate.

Wendy Haines, a Ph.D. student in toxicology, also said she was interested in becoming a mentor.

"I had a lot of people help me to get where I am today," she said. "I want to give back and help others who have similar interests as me."

But Nora Harris, a junior history major, was wary of what the mentor project offered. She expressed concern that the e-mail mentorship would not be as effective as face-to-face counseling sessions. "E-mail is impersonal," she said. "It doesn't promote the kind of discussion that would be necessary for giving advice about important issues."

Woody said he hopes the initial contact obtained through e-mail will lead to more productive meetings between the undergraduates and their mentors.

"E-mail is just a way to get (the mentorship process) started," he said. "Basic questions that undergraduates have about graduate school can be easily answered by e-mail."

To obtain more information about the mentorship project, send an e-mail to gradmentor@tarheelblue.com.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.