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Engineering Mentors

The Engineering Mentors program at Iowa State University fosters intercultural understanding among graduate and undergraduate students in engineering. By pairing international and domestic students, the program enhances cultural adaptability and increases interaction opportunities. It features large and small group interactions, mentorship clusters, and various social events such as football games and dinners. With annual funding and structured training, the program aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, support community building, and promote international integration within education.

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Engineering Mentors

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  1. Engineering Mentors Alyse Ridpath Graduate Coordinator

  2. Engineering Mentors • E-Mentors: • Graduate/Undergraduate Intercultural Mentoring in Engineering • Goals: • Enhance participants’ cultural adaptability • Increase interaction opportunities • Promote international integration & domestic education

  3. Background • Dean’s Education Initiative • Engineering International Engagement • Annual funding: • $30,000 Iowa State’s International Student Population

  4. Initial Implementation • Recruitment & Training • Event Format: large & small group interaction • Clusters: 2 graduate mentors & 3-5 undergraduate mentees

  5. Program Expenditures • Graduate support • Mentor training • Large group events • Cluster meetings

  6. Event Format Cluster Meetings Large Group Events Clusters meet every 2-4 weeks throughout the academic year Interaction opportunities for students from different clusters

  7. Cluster Meetings • Clusters meet every 2-4 weeks throughout the academic year • Coordinated by mentors • Opportunity for discussion • Meeting Reports • E-Mentors website • Program communication • Activities • Lunch, dinner • Laser tag • Bowling • Movies

  8. Large Group Events • Program wide engagements • Planned by coordinators • Interaction opportunities for students from different clusters • Events • Kick-Off Event • Football Game and Tailgate • Hockey Match & Pizza • Men’s Basketball Game • Virtual Reality Application (VRAC) Demonstration & Dinner

  9. Program Assessment • Surveys • Pre • Post • Focus Groups • 2012-2013 Participation: • 32 clusters • 64 graduate mentors • (15 domestic/49 international) • 125 undergraduate mentees • (100 domestic/25 international)

  10. Feedback • “I learned about some of the issues that affect foreign undergraduates, such as language barriers, customs / traditions, etc.” • “It is a great opportunity to share different cultures with American students.” • “I also got the opportunity to be more involved in American society.” • “It would be nice if the individual group meetings were more structured.” • “Clear goals of the program would help the mentors.” • “Help mentors develop mentoring skills.”

  11. Lessons Learned • More Structure • Increase planned events • Large & small • Prompts • Training Sessions • Facilitate education • Development of community • Encourage retention • Pairings • Co-mentors & clusters • Time availability

  12. Current Implementation • Mentor Training • 3 detailed sessions • Big picture, program goals & details, culture sharing • Mentor empowerment

  13. Current Implementation • Program Structure • Monthly large group events • Graduate student interaction • Semi-structured activities • Funding incentives

  14. Current Implementation • 2013-2014 Participation: • 30 clusters • 60 graduate mentors • (12 domestic/48 international) • 215 undergraduate mentees • (176 domestic/39 international) • Clusters • 2 international graduate mentors • & 5-8 domestic undergraduate mentees • 2 domestic graduate mentors • & 5-8 international undergraduate mentees

  15. Alyse Ridpath & Ben McCarty Engineering Mentors Program Coordinators College of Engineering 112 Marston Hall Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 50011 ementor@iastate.edu 515-294-1884 (phone) 515-294-9273 (fax)

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