Monmouth College’s annual Mentoring Week will span from Monday, Oct. 22 through Friday, Oct. 26 with Mentoring Day on Wednesday, Oct. 24. Mentoring Week is a time during the first semester set aside for students to meet with their advisors and look at the big picture.

According to Marjorie Bond, associate professor of mathematics and computer science, the ‘big picture’ is whatever path the student plans to walk down both during and after their time at Monmouth College. Bond stated, “Mentoring Week is a time for faculty to go beyond the paperwork with their advisees. It is the opportunity for students to spend time with faculty helping them plan their life at Monmouth College and their life beyond.”

Bond made it clear that, despite popular opinion, Mentoring Week is not just for freshmen. She believes Mentoring Week is a good time for upperclassmen to reflect on what their goals are and seek guidance from their advisors.

Bond also commented that she goes over both the mission and goals set out by Monmouth College with her advisees. “I have them look over them and see which ones they may have failed to meet and see how we can work the missing goals into their remaining schedule.”

During meetings with advisors, students are often encouraged to discuss their own goals. These goals may include what type of work they are interested in, if they intend to go on to graduate school and if they are looking for potential internships.

Bond believes these meetings are vital to the advisor-advisee relationship and allow the advisor to open doors for the advisee.

Mentoring Day is a special day during Mentoring Week when all afternoon classes are cancelled. During this time, departments have scheduled times when their majors or potential majors can meet faculty and peers and also receive information.

During Mentoring Day, there are three separate sessions for meetings. The first session of departmental meetings will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. The second session will occur between 2 and 3 p.m. The final session will be held from 3 to 4 p.m.

A list of each department’s meeting time is available online and will be posted on informational advertisements around campus over the next week. Students can contact their department chair or their advisor for more information on the individual department meetings.

Bond also stressed the importance of these department meetings for both upper and underclassmen, as well as for undecided and declared majors. “It is important that seniors attend their department meets; they are the example for the freshmen,” Bond said.

This is also a good opportunity for undecided students, as this week, and particularly Mentoring Day, give undecided students an opportunity to visit departments of interest and get to know the faculty and peers, and learn about the major and the department’s expectation of its majors.

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