Mentoring Matters.

N

11

National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA.

Academic Achievement; Corporate Support; Corporations; Diversity (Student); Engineering Education; Higher Education; Internship Programs; Mentors; Minority Groups; School Business Relationship; Science Education

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) mentors underrepresented students and encourages their significant achievements in science, mathematics, and engineering. NACME develops many of its mentoring strategies through its Corporate Scholars Program (CSP), a comprehensive scholarship program that links engineering undergraduates to major technology-intensive companies for internship, professional development, and mentoring. This paper examines the role of mentoring and the internship experience in this successful program. Each year, NACME surveys CSP scholars and supervisors to provide feedback regarding components of successful internship and mentoring experiences. In 1997, NACME distributed surveys to 87 NACME scholars with CSP internships and their supervisors. The surveys examined their satisfaction with the program. Results indicated that successful mentoring made a significant difference, contributing substantially to interns' interest in returning to their host companies and their overall evaluation of workplace experiences. Students and supervisors differed significantly in how they viewed and interpreted the experience. The investigation led to four recommendations: recognize the value of teaming; invest time in developing engineering talent; respect the ambition and abilities of interns; and engage interns in exploring future possibilities. (SM)

1999

ED430909