Mentoring Philosophy As a mentor, I have both a general philosophy for working with and mentoring students, and a tailored approach centered around individualization to students needs. In general, as a mentor, I strive to guide the student toward not only the completion of their work, but toward their development as a person and a member of the community. In this context, there are certain points of emphasis for every student that I mentor, including the development of basic research skills, critical thinking, the ability to acknowledge limitations, and the ability to ask for help when necessary. Beyond that, however, my mentoring approach is centered around a philosophy of individualization. Every student is unique, and I believe effective mentoring accounts for individual goals, career aspirations, and learning styles. With this in mind, I strive to adapt my mentoring approach in response to each student I work with.