Four Tips to Help Your Mentors Support You

Dr. Torrie Cropps joined the Writing on My Mind Podcast for episode 51 to share her experiences successfully pursuing a PhD as a Black woman scholar. We have been exploring the topic of mentorship all of season 4 of the podcast and Dr. Cropps shared her thoughts on her topic. Based on her research about the mentorship, advising, and socialization of marginalized graduate students in STEM and agriculture, she shared four tips you can use to help your mentors help you.

1. Tell Them Your Goals.

Sharing your goals is powerful. Inviting your mentors into your future plans puts them in a position to identify ways to help you get where you want to go.

2. Build Trust.

Building supportive mentoring relationships requires trust. Take time to get to know your mentors and to find the right fit. You want to know that they value you and have your best interests at heart. You in turn, want to ensure that you are a trusted space for them as well. Through a mentorship relationship, your mentor may share sensitive information of information that only a limit group of people have access to. Be sure to handle information shared with care.

3. Advocate For Yourself.

It’s so important to speak up and advocate for yourself. Give yourself permission to tell your mentors what you need and how they can support you. This guidance will help them to show up for you in ways that truly matter to you. 

4. Ask For Help.

Sometimes you need help to move through a challenge or resolve an issue you’re facing. Maybe you have too much on your plate and need support to streamline your workload. Or maybe you’re working with faculty who don’t see how much you’re balancing that is cutting into your writing time. Asking for help allows your mentors to work with you to find solutions.  

Listen to episode 51 of the Writing on My Mind Podcast to learn more.