Grad

The PFF Mentorship Experience

The culmination of the UC PFF program is the Mentoring Experience, which involves teaching- and service-related activities planned and conducted in close cooperation with an experienced mentor from one of our Collaborating Cluster Institutions: Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University, Mount St. Joseph University, Thomas More University, Hebrew Union College, or UC Blue Ash College. Students may also select mentors from other tristate institutions of higher education but must first make separate arrangements with the PFF Program Coordinator. Completion of the mentoring experience is required for PFF Graduate tier students and is worth twenty activity points.

Mentorship Planning and Requirements

Please note: the Teaching Effectiveness course must be completed before a Mentoring Agreement Contract will be approved. Therefore, the minimum time to complete the PFF Graduate tier is 1 year. Students with special circumstances regarding program completion must email gradpff@uc.edu to submit a request with a compelling rationale to the PFF program director to grant an exception.

In order to successfully complete the mentoring experience, all of the below requirements must be fulfilled, including: 

  • Mandatory Mentoring Documents (Mentoring Agreement Contract, signed Mentoring Log & Assessment, Student Reflection)
  • Completion of twenty-five hours of mentoring activities 
  • Completion of two leadership activities 

Each of these requirements are explained in further detail below. 

Mandatory Mentoring Documents

All students must complete a Mentoring Agreement Contract, signed Mentoring Log & Assessment, and a Student Reflection. Each of these documents must be approved by the PFF-coordinator in order for the student to receive activity points. The Mentoring Log & Assessment and student reflection forms can be accessed by contacting the program coordinator. 

Mentoring Agreement Contract

The Mentoring Agreement Contract must be completed collaboratively with your mentor and must be approved by the PFF coordinator prior to you starting your mentorship. This contract outlines the specifics of the mentoring experience, including how the student and mentor will interact and spend their time with one another. Mentoring Agreement Contracts must be signed by both the mentor and the mentee prior to submission. Contracts compiled prior to submission of the contract will not be accepted. 

Signed Mentoring Log & Assessment

Students must complete the Mentoring Log as they complete the mentoring experience. This log tracks the activities, dates, and durations of mentoring activities completed by the student. At the completion of the mentoring experience, the student and the mentor will sign the Mentoring Log. In addition, the mentor will offer a short assessment regarding the PFF student.

The mentoring log will be supplied once your Mentoring Agreement Contract has been approved. 

Student Reflection

After completing the mentoring experience, students will complete a reflection paper about their experience. This reflection paper must be submitted to and approved by the program coordinator prior to the attainment of activity points. The reflection paper should address the following:

  • Mentoring Log Discrepancies: In this section of the paper, students should address any discrepancies between the Mentoring Agreement Contract and the Mentoring Log. Students should identify the differences and provide a brief explanation of such deviations from the plan. 
  • Describe Your Mentoring Experience: What did mentoring actually look like for you? In a minimum of two double-spaced pages, describe the major activities in your mentoring experience and your observation of your mentor's institution. 
  • Identify Your Major Takeaways: Use this section of your reflection to consider what you gained from your mentorship. In a minimum of two double-spaced pages, identify your takeaways and how they are relevant to you and your future career. 

Please review full guidelines for this reflection before submission. 

Mentoring Activity Completion

As part of the mentoring experience, students will complete twenty-five hours worth of mentoring activities, listed below. If the student wishes to complete activities out of these guidelines, he/she/they must receive permission from the program coordinator prior to participating in the activities. The student and mentor will thoroughly plan which activities the student will participate in, as reflected in the Mentoring Agreement Contract. In addition, the students will keep track of their completed activities, dates, and durations on the Mentoring Log. The student may complete their twenty-five hours by completing the following mentoring activities: 

  • Receive feedback from your mentor
  • Participate in a structured discussion with your mentor
  • Attend a faculty meeting at your mentor's institution
  • Review learning objectives with your mentor
  • Observe your mentor's lectures (ten hour maximum)
  • Participate in student engagement activities
  • Create course content

Leadership Activity Completion

As part of the mentoring experience, students will complete two leadership activities, listed below. If students wish to complete activities outside of these guidelines, he/she/they must receive permission from the program coordinator prior to participating in the activities. These activities will be identified prior to completion in the Mentoring Agreement Contract. If changes need to be made during the mentoring process, students must contact the PFF program coordinator. Students will track completion of these activities, dates, and durations in their Mentoring Logs. The student can choose any combination of the following activities as long as two are selected and they have been approved in the Mentoring Agreement Contract:

  • Lead lecture in your mentor's course (one class session)
  • Lead a seminar, discussion, or workshop at your mentor's institution
  • Other leadership activity (must be pre-approved by program coordinator)

For the Mentor

PFF mentors are greatly appreciated and serve an important role in the PFF experience. Service as a mentor is recognized through a modest honorarium following the completion of the mentoring experience. The following guidelines pertain to mentor responsibilities:
  • The mentor should collaborate with the student on the mentorship agreement contract, and the mentor must sign the contract. 
  • Upon completion of the mentorship experience, the mentor must review, sign, and complete the assessment portion of the Mentoring Log & Assessment and must submit the forms to gradpff@uc.edu. These forms are required in order for the student to complete the certificate, and the mentor will not be paid until these forms have been submitted. 
  • If the mentor is not a UC employee, the mentor must complete a Personal Services Contract form and a Certification of Completed Mentorship form, which are required to process the mentor's honorarium.