Gillings Global Mentor Program

A global mentor is a Gillings alum whose background is in global health who has volunteered to participate in this program as a trusted counselor or advisor. An individual becomes a mentor when they have requested to be matched with a mentee.

A mentee is a global health concentration student seeking assistance, knowledge, or guidance in the field of global health. An individual becomes a mentee by requesting a mentor through this program.

The mentor/mentee relationship lasts for 4 months. The program will roughly run from mid-January through early May.

Our values:

• Transparency and openness
• Integrity and trustworthiness
• Respect for difference
• Inclusive
• Build relationships
• Help each other thrive

Program goals:

• Provide professional support and networking
• Prepare global health-focused students for professional global health roles
• Help build relationships and a mentoring culture across the global health program at Gillings
• Engage our global health alums

Expectations:

The mentor/mentee relationship is a mutual commitment and is mutually beneficial. It requires honesty, openness, trust, and confidentiality. The relationship must provide a safe growth environment where both use good judgment concerning confidential information. Meeting frequency and length of time over 4 months will be discussed and agreed upon by both mentor and mentee.

Both mentor and mentee:

• Will attend a 1-hr virtual kickoff meeting to explain and introduce the program and a 1-hr mid-point meeting to share best practices and brainstorm challenges
• Agree on objectives, goals and developmental needs
• Define and establish a plan to accomplish mentee goals
• Commit to meeting a minimum of once a month for 30-minutes
• Meet regularly to review and evaluate progress
• Commit to a 4-month mentorship, although it may be extended through a mutual agreement on an informal basis
• Agree to a list of expectations described in this document
• Watch training videos prior to the program start
• Participate in regular surveys to assist the global health team with evaluation of the program at the end of the 4
• months

The mentor:

• Represent the mentorship program values above
• Facilitate positive connections to the organization and Gillings as a whole
• Listen actively
• Recommend developmental activities
• Suggest and provide resources
• Communicate experiences and challenges
• Serve as a role model, offering advice and counsel, and providing candid feedback to the mentee

The mentee:

• Identify goals and developmental needs, and draft mentorship agreement for discussion with mentor
• Ask questions and practice active listening
• Schedule mentorship meetings and set agendas
• Prepare for each mentoring session
• Share ongoing career planning and development
• Be open to the mentor’s suggestions
• Keep the lines of communication open
• Demonstrate progress toward fulfillment of goals