Description. Though the characteristics of good mentoring vary according to the needs of the mentee and experience of the mentor, this workshop will share research on some “best practices” and build on attendees’ experiences with effective peer mentoring to encourage reflective practice and ongoing improvement in peer mentoring programs. Though this workshop is especially targeted at programs and students that are new to peer mentoring, many of the topics will also be useful to those who want to get new ideas about how to enhance their peer mentoring program or improve their own peer mentoring practices, such as ideas for activities and projects that peer mentors and mentees can do together. We hope that those with well-established peer mentoring programs will come join the conversation to share their own experiences and insights with those new to this practice. Participants are encouraged to attend the other workshops in our peer mentoring series, and to learn from and contribute to our growing body of mentoring knowledge at the MentorCenter.

Learning Outcomes. During this session, attendees will:

• Learn about some of the research-supported best practices in peer mentoring
• Learn what other students and programs are doing to make the most of peer mentoring relationships
• Understand how peer mentoring can benefit the mentor and the program at large, as well as the mentee
• Develop a plan of next steps for enhancing their own peer mentoring practices and the peer mentoring programs in their departments

Presenters. Amy Lueck and Dr. Michelle Rodems