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Greetings SPH Mentor Program participants,
Although temperatures are frigid, spring semester is officially here! Students have returned from winter break, and the end of the academic year is only a few months away. For your mentor relationship, this may mean a few different things.
This e-newsletter of the 2007-2008 SPH Mentor Program is intended to help you make the most of your mentor relationship in the coming months. You can attend one of several academic and public events. Those who are graduating can get additional help with career preparation and planning. Make plans to attend the mentor appreciation reception. Consider staying in contact with your mentor or student when the formal program comes to a close.
In this newsletter you will find:
Save-the-date for the morning of Feb. 22!
Interested in infectious disease? The impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa? Or national and international public health policy?
The SPH and Hubert H. Humphrey Mentor Programs are excited to announce the first "Health Policy Impact: Local/Global Interconnections" event, focusing on Africa.
From his location in Zambia,
Jason Paltzer, MPH and Program Director for the Lutheran Health & Development Program in Zambia,
will join...
Ann O'Fallon, BSN, MA and Refugee Health Coordinator for the State of Minnesota
...in a conversation spanning HIV/AIDS, government interests, and global health policy and its effects on the community he serves in Zambia, as well as nationwide.
This event will be free for all SPH and HHH Mentor Program participants.
Mark your calendar for Friday, Feb. 22
from 8:30 ¿ 10 a.m. and stay tuned for more event details!
Enhancing Your Mentoring Experience
By Juliet Nguyen, Healthcare Administration Student
For many students and mentors a new semester and a new year provides an opportunity to make academic, professional and personal resolutions. It's also a time to set and achieve new goals, and to reflect on the relationship you've developed with each other.
By now, you've probably met, set goals and learned interesting things about one another. In the coming months it will be important to continue to evaluate the progress you've already made in meeting your goals as well as establishing new goals. You might want to refine your objectives or seek assistance for any obstacles you may have encountered in the past few months.
Ask yourself these important questions:
For Mentors:
- How often have I communicated with my mentee? Am I satisfied with this?
- Am I giving my mentee the guidance he or she is asking for?
- Is there more that I can do? Can I recommend more resources?
- Am I providing guidance while allowing my mentee to voice his or her own opinions?
- Am I really listening?
For Students:
- How often have I communicated with my mentor? Am I satisfied with this?
- Am I making the most of my mentor's experience, input, and advice?
- Have I actively engaged my mentor?
- Am I remaining open-minded and receptive of new ideas and perspectives?
Evaluating and then discussing your relationship thus far can be beneficial for both the student and mentor. Identify and celebrate the goals you've achieved and talk about those you wish to pursue. Sharing your goals with one another can also assist in developing ideas to achieve them.
As the semester continues, it will be important to keep in mind that for many, the official mentoring relationship will end in April. Some of you will be continuing your relationship into the next year, and others might soon want to discuss that option and how to successfully transition into the next year. As questions such as these arise, keep in mind that you can seek guidance and answers from the Mentor Program at sphmentor@umn.edu.
Creative mentor pair action-oriented ideas
related to National Public Health Week
1. Enter the Public Service Announcement Contest
Mentors and Students: What issues are important to you?
Is it pollution, clean water, refugee health, preparing for disasters, nutrition, infectious disease, access to health care, and/or climate change?
Consider creating a 30-second (or less) Public Service Announcement (PSA) as a pair about a health condition that is important to both of you. A PSA is a non-commercial advertisement typically on radio or television that is deemed "helpful" to the public.
You have a chance to win $500.
Anyone can be a filmmaker.
Use a camcorder, camera phone, digital camera, super 8 camera, etc... in your production tools to create a PSA.
The deadline to submit is March 17, 2008.
For more information on how to submit, rules, and deadlines, please visit www.sph.umn.edu/psa or e-mail film@umn.edu.
2. Create and Present a Research Poster
Students: Enter the inaugural SPH Student Research Day Poster Contest
As part of National Public Health Week, all currently enrolled SPH students are strongly encouraged to submit a poster about your research project. This can be for a MPH/MHA Masters' project, MS thesis, or PhD Dissertation.
Your mentor can review your proposal or help you practice for your presentation. Please note these two important dates:
- Monday, March 10 -- Submission deadline for posters (one per student)
- Friday, April 11, Mayo Auditorium -- SPH Student Research Day
The Benefits of Maintaining
a Long-term Mentor Relationship
By Jooyeon Hwang
Environmental Health Student
Why a long-term relationship with your mentor?
From childhood to early adulthood, family, educators, and peers add to your knowledge and wisdom. A mentoring relationship is one of the most beneficial ways to refine and expand this knowledge. To be successful, the relationship needs time to grow. A commitment is required from both mentor and mentee to nurture and grow a flourishing relationship. A mentor in it for the long haul can help guide a mentee from the academic to the professional world. If you are fortunate enough to locate an individual dedicated to your growth, you should discuss the continuation of a long-term relationship.
How can you keep a long-term relationship with your mentor?
Most of you have already taken the first step to building this relationship by sitting down with your mentor and discussing your interests, future career goals, and relationship goals openly. Discussing your aspirations can aid your mentor in giving you ideal advice for your particular aims. If you remain open-minded and explore the possibilities of the relationship, you will find that you can relate to your mentor on several different levels¿even apart from Public Health!
What is the benefit from a long-term relationship?
There is always something to gain when listening to a mentor. Keep an open mind. Remember that mentors are people like you who are further along their journey, and have experienced the mistakes and successes you might experience. Your mentor can provide support and focus. He or she can pat you on the back when you are successful and kick you into gear when you are stalled. It's nice to know that someone has your best interest at heart!
Here are a few last tips I will leave you with:
- Pace yourself. In a long-term relationship, you are less likely to "burn" your mentor out with demands or over-enthusiasm.
- Be a giver. The more you give, the more your mentor will reciprocate. Be prepared to exchange ideas and share your triumphs and failures!
- Your mentor is a valuable asset for your future. He or she can provide advice that may help you avoid future pitfalls.
News & Publications in MN Public Health links
January was National Mentor Month: President George Bush recently announced that January 2008 is National Mentoring Month. This initiative of the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service, has prompted the allocation of $100 million to mentor organizations across the country in 2008.
Read more...
Governor Tim Pawlenty proclaimed January as Radon Action Month in Minnesota. MDH and its partners are conducting radon awareness events and promoting testing throughout the state.
Read more...
2008 National Health Observances by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Provides a year-at-a-glance list of nationally recognized observances. Read more...
New International Health Regulations now in force:
Read more...
CDC Explores: Tension often exists between scientific advances and human values:
Read more...
SPH Mentor Program Events
Upcoming events...
- "Health Policy Impact in China: Local/Global Interconnections." In collaboration with the Humphrey Institute Global Mentor Program.
Mark your calendars for March 28, 2008 from 8:30 - 10 a.m.
- Mentor Appreciation Reception, Join President Bruininks and a special keynote speaker as we thank both the mentors and student mentees for a successful year.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 5:30p.m., McNamara Alumni Center
Other Public Health Community Events
TTURC Seminar: first generation vaccines for tobacco dependence: Bring your lunch to this month's free Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Centers Seminar (TTURC). Sam Roiko, a U of M grad student in pharmacology & Paul Pentel, MD, Director of HCMC's Clinical Pharmacology Division, will present information about first generation vaccines for tobacco dependence.
- Friday, Feb. 1, 12 p.m. at U of M Cancer Center Research Building, Room 450, Minneapolis. Learn more...
Prevention Forum - Eating Disorders and Body Image: This forum will present information on evidence-based models of the development of eating disorders and how they are being used in prevention efforts. Guest speaker Diann Ackard, PhD, is a licensed psychologist specializing in the treatment and research of mood and anxiety disturbances, eating disorders and body image disturbances. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Ackard is a research scientist at Methodist Hospital's Eating Disorders Institute. Free, no need to pre-register.
- Tuesday, Feb. 12, 12 p.m.-1:15 p.m. at St. Louis Park City Hall Council Chambers, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN. Learn more...
Physical Activity and Nutrition Conference: This is the 4th Annual PAN (Physical Activity & Nutrition) Conference. It will focus on ideas, strategies and activities that can be implemented with little or no cost. The PAN Conference can be useful for school district officials & educators as well as for parents, students, community partners and service providers. Registration materials available at www.hennepin.us under the keyword search of PAN. Cost: $45 per person or, for teams of four, $160. Students: $25. For more information, contact Lillian at 612-596-9976 or lillian.abelson@co.hennepin.mn.us
- February 19, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.) at U of M Continuing Education & Conference Center, 1890 Buford Ave., St. Paul, MN
Checkout the 5th Annual Downtown Health Series sponsored by Hennepin County Medical Center. Register to attend a seminar with topics ranging from women's health and cardiovascular health to emergency preparedness and dealing with stress!
Wishing you a great Spring Semester!
Michelle Lian-Anderson
Director of Alumni Relations and Special Events
Juliet Nguyen
Student Coordinator for the Mentor Program |
Last modified on Friday Feb 01, 2008