Becoming a Mentor

Who becomes a mentor? Why do they do it? The answers are as varied as the people involved. Some of us were lucky enough to have had a mentor and want to repay that. Others just want to help out, or feel called to share their gifts to be a positive influence in someone’s life. Being a mentor requires that you be sincerely interested in someone else's growth. You probably will not win any awards, but you will be obedient to God as you serve another person and help prepare the next generation of Christian international health professionals and leaders.

Desired Characteristics of Mentors

• Genuine interest in helping and building a personal relationship with a mentee.
• Commitment to your profession.
• Commitment to continuing education and career development.
• Commitment to integrating personal faith with a profession in international health
• Personal insight, empathy, listening skills, and a personal relationship with God.
• Availability of, and willingness to commit, time to communicate with a mentee (at least one hour per month suggested).

Guidelines for Mentors

• Make a special effort to be available to your mentee, away from the distractions of your work, if at all possible.
• Share up-front with your mentee your specific expectations for the relationship.
• Invest time in learning about the aspirations, attributes, and preferences of your mentee.
• If applicable, share professional learning opportunities with your mentee.
• Actively assist your mentee in developing his or her own personal network of professional contacts in global health.
• Honor any commitments to and confidences of your mentee.
• Provide honest, caring, regular, and diplomatic feedback to your mentee.
• Spiritually mentor your mentee, offering Godly counsel, and praying for and with your mentee.

How Can I Be Partnered with a Mentee?

Mentors should complete the Mentor Application. Applications will be reviewed and a mentor will be matched with an appropriate mentee based on several factors, including but not restricted to: professional interest, personal goals, work/study experience, skill set, geographic focus, and location.

Please understand that the program cannot guarantee any mentor to be matched with a mentee through the program; similarly, the program cannot guarantee any mentee to be matched with a mentor through the program. This is because each mentor or mentee has his/her unique set of interests and expectations, and the number of interested of mentors often does not match the number of interested mentees.

Once the program team matches a mentee with a mentor it is the responsibility of the mentee to initiate contact with the mentor, although the mentor may take the initiative if he/she wishes.