A Wake Forest go-to person about mentoring is Allison McWilliams (’95), an assistant vice president who leads the University’s Mentoring Resource Center (below) and the Alumni Personal & Career Development Center. She also writes regularly about mentoring in Psychology Today. Examples that she and others provided about mentoring involving Wake Foresters are too numerous to list, but this guide shows myriad highlights.
Reynolda Hall
Mentoring Resource Center: Serving in a consultative role to students, faculty, staff and alumni involved in formal and informal mentoring relationships.
Campuswide
While the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Center (URECA) doesn’t have an office with a sign on the door, undergraduates know this website, ureca.wfu.edu, is a hub where they can discover opportunities to partner with faculty members on scholarly and creative activities. Collaboration abounds through Wake Forest Research Fellowships and Wake Forest Arts & Humanities Fellowships.
Tribble Hall
The Wake Forest Scholars Program helps students develop their intellectual capabilities, share their talents and develop close relationships with faculty mentors. The program also works closely with Magnolia and Signature Scholars.
Sutton Center
URECA Day in the fall semester showcases undergraduate research and creative work and recognizes faculty support. In a recent year, 140 students presented posters or gave presentations about their projects, which ranged from research involving acacia tree seedlings to the Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock print genre as a metaphor for the discipline of history.
Reynolda Hall
Global Ambassadors, representing the Center for Global Programs and Studies, share their experience in study-abroad programs by guiding fellow students and groups interested in jetting
off for courses.
Abroad
Undergraduate and graduate students selected as Richter Scholars initiate and engage in globally minded research projects and “life-changing experiences” guided by a faculty mentor. Examples: “In the Footsteps of Frederic Chopin, a Polish-French composer,” and an investigation of health effects of chemicals released by wildfires in Greece.
Wake Washington Center
At the center, on Dupont Circle, students can connect with alumni mentors in D.C.
Reynolda Hall
Wake Forest Fellows: Through a competitive process, typically 10 students spend the year after graduation assigned to Wake Forest administrator-mentors. Fellows work full time and learn about the inner workings of higher education. You’ll see Wake Forest Fellows gathering regularly in the Autumn Room for lunches with campus leaders, leading to more mentoring moments.
Online
February brings an annual, self-paced mentoring certificate course, which addresses such topics as how to be an effective mentor and mentee. The course is open to all Wake Foresters, including alumni.
On Zoom
Young alumni mentoring groups meet in facilitated sessions to make meaningful connections about life and work.
Wake Downtown
Wake Forest Lab Experiences: Academics and Professions (LEAP) helps local high school juniors and seniors explore STEM interests, lab etiquette and scientific research principles. During the six-week program, participants are paired with a faculty mentor and a graduate or undergraduate student co-mentor.
Salem Hall and Kirby Hall, et al.
The URECA Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentorship in Research and Creative Work in the Sciences and Social Sciences commands respect. Recent award winners include Professor of Chemistry Uli Bierbach, Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs Betina Wilkinson and Associate Professor of Economics John Dalton.
Academic Buildings
Applaud recipients of the URECA Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentored Scholarship in the Arts and Humanities. A few recent winners: Associate Professor of History Qiong Zhang, Professor of Theatre Rob Eastman-Mullins and Associate Professor of English Zak Lancaster.
Campuswide
COREFour are skill areas that the Mentoring Resource Center recommends that every student develop and apply, including in life beyond college: Build relationships; set goals; seek feedback and reflect on experiences.
Campuswide
Honors programs within departments often provide the one-on-one mentored experiences for students excelling in their final projects.
