Dean's Awards for Excellence in Mentoring
Student Award Purpose Statement

As research and problem solving skills become a more important part of the skill set required by the knowledge-based global economy, the demand for research mentoring has grown rapidly. Adequate mentoring support helps undergraduate and early career graduate students develop an understanding of the demands and benefits of the research process. Such students who have mentoring relationships are also more likely to properly assess their academic skills and intellectual passions and pursue graduate research opportunities to fully develop their talents for the good of society. Graduate students are uniquely positioned to identify promising researchers and help provide a supportive environment in which a passion for the discovery of new knowledge can thrive.

Mentoring is a sustained partnership that is necessarily multifaceted and is enhanced by mutual respect and concern. While a mentor can be defined in many ways, a mentor for these emerging researchers is fundamentally someone who serves as a guide throughout their academic training and orientation to the world of research. Far from being just an advisor, a mentor serves as teacher, advocate, and role model as well. When unable to fill a particular role, good mentors have access to a network of helpful resources and exercise the discernment necessary to point students to the appropriate resources at the appropriate times in their academic career.

To recognize the considerable efforts and accomplishments of graduate students who consistently serve as effective mentors of these researchers-in-training, the Duke University Graduate School includes a Student Award as part of the Dean's Awards for Excellence in Mentoring . Designed to allow the Duke community to identify graduate students who embody both the letter and spirit of mentoring, this award will further enhance the university's continuing efforts to cultivate a culture of mentoring.

The Duke University Graduate School would like to acknowledge the mentoring award models of Harvard University and Washington University in St. Louis. These models provided a framework for the preparation of the Dean's Awards for Excellence in Mentoring.

Last Updated: 02/26/2007 (by wat@duke.edu)