By Ken Alford Every time you interact with a student, you’re in a mentoring environment. This is simply part of your role as a faculty member. And while being a mentor is a real part of the job, it’s an area we don’t always keep top of mind. How can you ensure you are making the most of these opportunities to connect with and provide appropriate guidance to your students? This 20-Minute Mentor How Can I Effectively Mentor Students examines the myriad ways faculty members can teach students both inside and outside the classroom. BENEFITS In this presentation, Professor Ken Alford of Brigham Young University draws on his decades of experience teaching in the STEM world, the social sciences, and the humanities to offer a fresh perspective and new ideas for improving as a mentor and teacher. You will learn how to do the following: Seek out opportunities to mentor your students Make yourself available to engage with students inside and outside the classroom Offer opinions and ideas by referencing your personal experiences Provide honest and appropriate feedback Help students build their networks by leaning on your own Use course assignments to teach and reinforce positive attributes LEARNING GOALS Do you consider yourself a mentor? You should, because you are. As a faculty member, your relationships with students extend beyond just answering a question about chapter five. In this 20-Minute Mentor, you’ll learn how to take advantage of opportunities to teach students life skills and help them understand how to build successful careers. After participating, you’ll be able to do the following: Define what a mentor is and determine how you fit into this role Discover opportunities to engage with students in a mentoring environment Learn appropriate ways to share your personal experiences with students Teach students important life skills needed beyond the classroom Provide honest feedback and advice to help students see the world beyond a limited filter TOPICS COVERED Here’s your chance to discover the unlimited opportunities for mentoring students with whom you come into contact on a daily basis—whether through interactions in the classroom, through student teaching or research, or through general exchanges on campus. Topics include the following: What is a mentor? How to become a better mentor Finding opportunities to mentor students on campus Mentoring in the classroom