Mentor & Intern Information

Mentor Best Practices

• Communication - Schedule weekly or bi-weekly check-ins and stick to them as much as possible, and openly share about upcoming tasks, expectations and events. 

• Be a human, not a 'boss' or an 'expert' - Be open to learning from your intern and leave space for them to teach you. The intern/mentor relationship should be mutually beneficial and it’s a great opportunity to practice humility.

• All experience is good - Provide opportunities for the student to do real work such as the day-to-day ‘grunt work’. Not all work is glamorous but it is important to running a business/project/non-profit successfully. 

• Flexibility - Students’ schedule and availability will change during the Spring semester and throughout the month, so plan ahead and be proactive to adjustments in projects if needed. Switch up the type of work the intern is doing if their strengths lie elsewhere.

• Be patient - The interns are learning about way more than just your project. Ask clarifying questions when you assign a task to ensure that your thoughts align.

• Be curious - Ask the intern questions about their short and long-term goals and help support their passions and development.

Intern Best Practices

• Communication - Don’t be afraid to ask questions during a conversation and afterwards to get clarification on tasks. Request regular check-in meetings with your mentor.

• Set goals - Think about what skills and knowledge you want to gain from this internship and share them with your mentor. Break down your goals to attainable steps and review your progress monthly and share with your mentor.

• Be patient - Internships are meant for learning and practicing your skills and having a ‘slow’ start is normal. Learning about the organization and their processes will take time in the beginning but it is an important step before jumping into larger projects.

• Embrace all tasks! - You may be asked to complete tasks that may seem like ‘grunt work’ but every job has its unglamorous side of tasks that still need to get done to successfully complete a project.

• Speak up - If you hear about a project you’d like to participate in your organization tell your mentor! Also speak up if you need help on a project or more guidance.

• Time management - Be realistic with your time and share your schedule with your mentors, you don’t always have to say yes. Don't be afraid to tell your mentor that you're at capacity with workload and need help, they should be able to support you during this time.