We based the following guidelines on nine years of faculty-student experiences. We encourage you to use and develop your own style of mentoring of first-year Honors students; however, guidelines prove helpful. Please let us know of ideas that you find contribute to successful relationships.

1. Update your online profile if you have not already done so. Use the “mentoring philosophy” section to articulate why and how you mentor and what your expectations are for potential mentees. The mentoring philosophy is required to remain active.

2. Attend Honors Meet & Greets, which take place throughout September. You will be notified of the exact dates as these programs are finalized.

3. Note and file an email announcement each time a student signs up as your mentee. Sign-ups will continue from early September through Fall Break.

4. Please respond promptly with an email to each first-year student who signs up with you. Remember that you are their first "friend" on the faculty. Design a friendly introductory email and offer some convenient times for you to meet them in person. Office hours or meeting for coffee at the SLC or downtown are obvious opportunities.

5. You will also receive a link to each of your mentee’s profiles via email.

6. Make an email distribution list for your mentees to facilitate communication.

7. Send a bi-weekly “check-in” email to your mentees.

8. Engage your mentees about:

• how classes are going
• life in the residence hall
• adjusting to campus life
• extracurricular interests
• study abroad interests
• books they/you have read
• master calendar events or your department events, as appropriate

9. Plan at least two face-to-face get-togethers with your mentees each semester. You can attend Honors-sponsored events or plan you own. For example, you could meet:

• in your office
• over coffee
• over lunch at a dining hall
• for dinner downtown
• at a departmental lecture
• at a campus event
• at a Bulldawg Book Club

10. If you are interested in hosting a Dinner@Prof's at your home during January and February on a topic of your choice, please send Pam Kleiber, pkleiber@uga.edu, an email. These events are reimbursable with receipts for up to $10.00 per student.

We understand and respect the demands made on your schedules and that even the best of intentions sometimes cannot be carried out. Call the Honors Program if you find you are unable to fulfill the minimal responsibilities. We promise to find someone else to help with your mentees at any point during the year.