UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #979

Mentoring Philosophy As an instructor and mentor, I encourage students to research, critique, and think critically. My personal goals include supporting future generations of young scholars; I have mentored 30 unique students through 23 different positions over the past four years (2020-2023). In spring 2023, I mentored 15 undergraduate students with varying levels of capabilities through four mentoring programs (UROP, ERP, LIFT, Syracuse Internship program). Two of my mentees are also part of national fellowship programs: SAFE Project Student Leadership Academy and the NASPA & NOLES Undergraduate Fellows Program (N2UFP). I encourage my mentees to acknowledge, research, and confront disparities in their field of work or study. Nearly all my student mentees can be classified as one or more minority categories: first-generation college student, underrepresented minority (Black, Latinx, multiracial, South/Southeast Asian), LGBT+, low-income, child of incarcerated parent(s), military veterans, and immigrants. I am recognized for setting a high bar and investing time in meeting with students to intentionally build social capital among diverse mentees and develop assignments that would uniquely benefit their professional goals. In other words, I do not approach mentoring as a “one size fits all” model, even across similar mentoring programs (e.g., UROP). I make great efforts to individualize the mentoring experience for my students, adapting projects or supervisory styles to meet students where they are and help them get where they want to go.