  Environmental Protection Agency
and Bowie State University Student Mentoring Program Guidelines
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Bowie State University (BSU) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in September 2009. The MOU establishes a broad partnership between EPA and BSU to jointly pursue activities and initiatives of mutual interests. In an effort to further the MOU goals to promote the professional growth and development of BSU students, the EPA Office of Grants and Debarment (OGD) and the BSU College of Business have established a Student Mentoring Program for the Office of Administration and Resources Management (OARM) employees to provide information, guidance and encouragement to BSU business students.
OGD and the BSU College of Business are committed to enrich the professional lives of students who participate in the Mentoring Program to help them become successful leaders of tomorrow.
What is the Purpose of the Mentoring Program?
The Mentoring Program matches OARM mentors with BSU business students for the purpose of developing nurturing relationships to encourage the student’s professional development. As students face challenges in balancing both college and personal life, while simultaneously seeking to make important career decisions, the mentoring program provides student mentees an opportunity to share their ideas, concerns and goals with their mentor. In return, OARM mentors assist student mentees by providing guidance and sharing their professional life experiences to better enable students to avoid pitfalls and overcome various challenges in achieving their career goals. From EPA’s perspective, the Mentoring Program affords OARM personnel an opportunity to serve as positive role models for BSU business students. The program also operates as a valuable tool for recruitment, retention, knowledge transfer, and workforce development and diversity.
What is the Role of the OARM Mentor?
OARM mentors serve as coaches or guides willing to share their educational and professional experience, knowledge and insights to aid the student mentee in achieving career goals and aspirations. Mentors also function as an informal advisor available to listen to the educational and professional concerns and frustrations of the mentee. When feasible, mentors also assist the mentee in identifying available options or solutions. Although highly rewarding, mentoring is not for the faint of heart. It requires strong listening and communication skills, as well as a great deal of patience.
Mentoring provides an extraordinary opportunity to facilitate a student’s personal and professional growth. The mentoring relationship is also beneficial to the mentor. Among other things, it: - Increases the mentor’s interpersonal skills based on the one-on-one interaction with the student mentee;
- Affords the mentor a sense of personal satisfaction in contributing to the student mentee’s growth and development;
- Enhances the mentor’s leadership skills through coaching, guiding and advising; and
- Expands the mentor’s networking opportunities and visibility within EPA and BSU.
- What are the Responsibilities of the Mentor?
To maximize the benefits of the mentoring relationship, OARM mentors should: - Encourage student mentees to meet their educational and professional goals and objectives;
- Share relevant life and work experiences to assist the student mentee in making educational and professional decisions;
- Assist the student mentee in identifying professionals for possible informational interviews concerning the mentee's chosen career field;
- Review and provide constructive feedback on the student mentee's job preparation and application materials;
- Maintain the confidentiality of conversations with the student mentee; and
- Communicate with the mentee at least once each month during the mentoring period.
What is a Student Mentee?
A student mentee is a BSU business student who seeks valuable knowledge, insight and guidance from an OARM mentor regarding his/her professional growth and development. The student mentee is an equal partner in the mentoring relationship, and must play an active role in his/her own development.
What are the Benefits of Having a Mentor?
The mentoring relationship allows the student mentee to receive valuable guidance to enhance their professional growth and career development. Specifically, the mentoring relationship enables the student mentee to: Gain knowledge and a realistic perspective on career paths and professional work life; Receive individual recognition and encouragement; Obtain supportive, positive, honest and constructive feedback; Learn from the life and work experiences of the mentor; Obtain stronger workplace skills and competencies; Enhance networking opportunities with professionals in chosen career field; and Have a trusted confidant to discuss educational and professional matters.
What are the Responsibilities of the Student Mentee?
To obtain the greatest benefits from the mentoring relationship, student mentees should:- Demonstrate commitment and time to the mentoring program experience;
- Show an interest in learning from their assigned mentor;
- Demonstrate a willingness to accept constructive feedback;
- Identify specific mentoring needs and goals;
- Maintain confidentiality of conversations with mentor; and
- Commit to communicate at least once per month with mentor.
What are the Requirements for Program Participation?
To participate in the Mentoring Program:
Mentors must be existing OARM employees and must obtain their supervisor’s approval before volunteering to participate in the program. Mentees must be currently enrolled in a BSU College of Business undergraduate or graduate program. Mentees may not work with more than one OARM mentor at any given time. In the event the number of mentees exceeds the number of eligible mentors, mentors may agree to be paired with more than one mentee. Mentors and student mentees must commit to meet at least once per month for one school semester unless either the mentor or mentee decides to terminate the mentoring relationship before the end of the semester.
The EPA-BSU Mentoring Program Committee is responsible for the general management and oversight of the Mentoring Program. The Committee includes two (2) Program Coordinators, who are responsible for reviewing mentor and student mentee profiles. The Program Coordinators also are responsible for recommending appropriate mentor and mentee matches for the Committee’s final determination. The contact information for the members of the Committee is as follows:
- How will Mentoring Sessions Occur?
Communications between mentors and student mentees must be conducted by email, telephone or some other electronic means. Mentors and mentees may not have face-to-face meetings without providing prior written notification to the EPA/BSU Mentoring Program Committee. OGD and the BSU College of Business will jointly host at least one optional job shadowing opportunity or other event for the mentor and student mentee to meet in person if they so desire.
What is the Program Enrollment Process?
The enrollment process is open and continuous throughout the semester, with outreach activities scheduled in the spring and fall semester of each calendar year. At the beginning of the spring and fall semesters, the Mentoring Program Committee will hold a separate mentoring informational session for mentors and mentees. To participate in the program, interested mentors and student mentees must complete the appropriate Mentor or Mentee Profile Form, and email the completed profile to the Mentoring Program Coordinators: Denise Polk and Joselynn Hawkins. If the mentor and/or student mentee are not satisfied with the match, one or both may request another mentor and/or student mentee. The members of the EPA-BSU Mentoring Program Committee and Program Coordinators are available to respond to questions concerning the program guidelines and operation. You may contact them through the email addresses or phone numbers provided above.
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