Integrated Mentoring Model

Within the CLIMB Program, mentoring is integrated across structured group mentoring (led by the CLIMB leadership), peer mentoring (building an early network of professional colleagues) and traditional mentoring by primary disciplinary research mentors. Typically, graduate students expect most of their mentoring to come from their PI. In contrast, our belief is that mentoring should be integrated with multiple sources and perspectives, including:

  • Peers - who are experiencing "life" in parallel but who can provide additional insights
  • Peer Mentors - advanced graduate students who have experienced valuable lessons from having recently succeeded along your path
  • "Coaches" - individuals like the CLIMB leaders whose primary focus is on your development
  • Other Researchers - postdocs, research faculty and lab technicians who are often present in research groups
  • PhD Advisors/mentors - the typical sources of most mentoring

Moreover, additional forms of mentoring actually involve group processes and group mentoring. The CLIMB program itself heavily relies upon group mentoring processes, where ideas are presented and learned within the CLIMB community.  The greatest power lies with this iterative process with feedback and interactions with your peers and mentors, which brings out multiple points of view and questions that individuals might not have thought to ask.

Learn more about our current Peer Mentors.