Mentoring overview
Thank you for interest in mentoring current or potential Mary Gates Scholars! Whether you are a faculty member, a staff member, or a community leader, your guidance is central to what a scholar is able to do.
This section of our site provides guidance on writing your letter of support for scholarship applicants, what mentoring Mary Gates Scholars involves, and what is expected once your scholar(s) is/are awarded.
Starting points
Set expectations together early, read your students' application essays, and be available as they need you.
Mentoring a Mary Gates Scholar is an opportunity for a student to learn and grow with your support, and how much involvement that takes varies from one student and project to the next. For that reason, we ask your scholar to share their needs with you at the start, so the two of you can set expectations on both sides — reading their application essay is a good place to begin. Beyond that, what matters most is being available with regular communication as your scholar needs you, so they can build the skills and reach the goals they have set.
For mentors of Leadership Scholars
The Leadership Scholarship supports a student's growth as a leader.
The Leadership Scholarship is designed to foster the civic education of UW undergraduates, honoring the commitment, responsibility, and courage that characterized Mary Gates's own life of leadership and service. It invests in students as they develop their leadership capacity — vision, initiative, commitment, skill, and values — through an endeavor that inspires them.
Mentorship is critical throughout, from early in the application process, through the conclusion of a scholar's project. Mentors provide critical support, guidance, and ideas about developing as a leader, focusing on feasible project goals and outcomes, describing impact of project on self and others, engaging in reflective thinking, overcoming project challenges, identifying and gaining access to project resources, and building confidence in communications skills.
For mentors of Research Scholars
The Research Scholarship supports undergraduate research with faculty.
The Research Scholarship is a competitive award that enhances the educational experience of UW undergraduates engaged in research with University faculty, supporting outstanding students as they learn research methods and explore current questions across a wide range of disciplines. Mentorship is essential to undergraduate researchers throughout the process of applying and carrying out the project.
Mentors provide critical support, guidance, and ideas about refining their project. Mentors support students intellectually, encouraging them to think for themselves and challenge themselves, in addition to offering research guidance in areas such as developing a research idea, experimental design, data analysis, technical writing skills, presentation skills, or identifying resources, interpreting, and critiquing literature.
As the faculty mentor, you may, where appropriate, ask a graduate student, postdoctoral scholar, or other member of your research group to provide day-to-day mentoring.
For mentors of Community Investment Scholars
The Community Investment Scholarship requires scholars to have at least one mentor actively supporting them throughout the three-eight month funding period for their project. During the funding period, mentors should be prepared to meet with the Community Investment Scholar at least once/month during the funding period. The mento should also be willing to provide support and, when relevant, connections that may benefit the Scholar's experience and/or project.
Questions are always welcome at mgates@uw.edu.