MENTOR US Program
Mentor Us is a peer-peer mentorship program developed by a team of nursing graduate students at the University of Alberta. The purpose of Mentor Us is to build community and promote a connection between MN and PhD students alike. Furthermore, it aims to address the needs of specific student populations, such as international and distance students.
Each academic year, mentors and mentees will be paired. The mentorship relationships will assist new nursing graduate students with peer group socialization, link mentees to university services, and provide a connection to a mentor that can provide advice and genuinely cares about the student’s overall well-being and success.
This relationship does not replace that of a formal academic advisor or supervisor, but rather augments it with peer support. Rosenthal and Shinebarger (2010) explain that, unlike advisors, mentors can maintain regular and ongoing contact, often have more flexible and accessible hours, can address issues a student may feel uncomfortable to broach with an advisor, provide first-hand understanding and empathy, act as a cultural guide, and provide insider advice on strategies for success.
Throughout the year, Mentor Us will offer social events for mentors and mentees, as well as training for mentors, and opportunities to meet and learn from community and health leaders. We hope that this added support will enhance the mentor-mentee relationships, and provide additional connections to community leaders and mentors.
Thank-you for your interest in our program! If you would like to apply to be a mentor or a mentee, please feel out the application form and email it to mentorus@ualberta.ca.
Our Vision
Mentor Us envisions an academic community in which nursing students of all backgrounds and programs experience empowering relationships and community networking.
Our Mission
To enhance the quality of the nursing graduate student experience through the use of a peer-to-peer mentorship program that facilitates students’ personal growth, confidence levels, leadership abilities, and academic success, to develop exceptional nursing scholars, practitioners, and leaders for the future.
VARGO TEACHING CHAIR
Dr. OLIVE YONGE
Dr. Olive Yonge is a tenured Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. She is a strong advocate of mentorship, and her passion for creating supportive environments for students to excel in is evident in her classroom. We are very grateful for her generous funding of the Mentor Us program through her Vargo Teaching Chair.
When we asked Dr. Yonge what mentorship means to her, she replied:
"Mentoring is essential to all organizations. When a person is mentored they learn twice as much in half the time. Those who are mentored can also pay it forward and mentor others. It is a circular never ending relationship."
ABOUT THE VARGO TEACHING CHAIR
The Vargo Teaching Chairs program was established in memory of Dr. Jim Vargo, and is committed to supporting individuals who demonstrate innovative and creative teaching methods, which enhance the learning of both undergraduate and graduate students. The Vargo Teaching Chair recognizes University of Alberta professors who combine excellence and a passion for teaching with an established research record.
For more information, please go to: www.ualbertacentennial.ca/achievements/teaching/vargo.html