Greetings SPH mentors and student mentees!
This is the first of two newsletters you will receive from the School of Public Health Mentor Program this year. The goal is to offer tips, advice, and event options for mentor pairs. The topics in this newsletter include:
Defining Your Mentor Relationship (top)
A little over a month ago, you took an important step when you joined the mentor program. By now, you've either met with your mentor or student or are planning to meet. As you move forward, we want to encourage you to think about the different ways you can define your mentor relationship; you have the opportunity to create your own special partnership.
In a broad sense, a mentor relationship is one in which one person helps another develop skills that are needed to become a successful professional. However, mentoring is more than just a professional relationship; it is a personal relationship as well. Mentoring relationships develop over time and do not always instantly form. Both the needs of students and mentors may change over the course of the relationship. Awareness and accommodation of any changes in the mentor relationship is crucial and should be communicated.
A mentor relationship is valuable. It can provide support, advice and a
wealth of knowledge. Keep in mind that many of the world's most successful people have benefited from having a mentor including:
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Business people - Freddie Laker mentored Richard Branson
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Politicians - Aristotle mentored Alexander the Great
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Actors - Mel Gibson mentored Heath Ledger
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Athletes - Eddy Merckx mentored Lance Armstrong
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentor)
As you embark on your mentor relationship, define what you would like your mentor relationship to be. Remember a mentor is “someone whose hindsight can become your foresight (http://en.thinkexist.com/ quotes/with/keyword/mentor/).” Set goals and ask questions. After meeting with your mentor or student, identify the next time you'll talk again. Take advantage of e-mail and the telephone to stay connected between meetings. Lastly, if you have any questions or are struggling with your relationship, please do not hesitate to contact the SPH Mentor Program coordinators.
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Kelvin Choi and Jean Streetar spoke about the benefits of their mentor partnership. Streetar is a manager at the Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment. Choi, a student from Hong Kong, is working toward an M.P.H. in Community Health Education. |
SPH Mentor Program Kick-Off Event (top)
On October 27, 2006 we welcomed over 120 mentors and students to breakfast at the McNamara Alumni Center to start off this year's mentor program. These individuals represented students across all of the school's programs and majors, and mentors from across all disciplines within the public and private sectors.
Special thanks go to Associate Dean William Riley and to Kelvin Choi and his mentor, Jean Streetar, for sharing their experiences together as a mentor pair over the last year. They spoke of the importance of keeping an open mind as well as open communication for a successful relationship.
Additional thanks go out to the Mentor Matching Committee. Without their time and effort, mentor pairs would not have been matched to even attend the kick-off event!
Thank you:
Jeff Budd (M.S. '77, Ph.D. '81)
Heather Day (M.P.H. '02)
Erica Fishman (M.P.H. '91)
Michael Olsen (M.P.H. '99)
Jessica Grossmeier (M.P.H. ‘01)
Wendy Hanson (M.P.H. '02)
Andrea Johnson (M.P.H. candidate '07)
Emily Abbott (M.S. candidate ‘07)
If you are a mentor and are interested in being on the Mentor Matching Committee next year, e-mail us at phmentor@umn.edu!
Tips and Ideas (top)
As you begin your mentor relationship, you may be unsure what questions to ask or what types of activities to participate in as a pair. It is also natural to encounter some awkwardness when starting out a mentor/student relationship. Here's the good news: both of you can benefit by talking about and learning from the experience. A few tips and discussion questions are listed below to help you maintain and engage in your mentor relationship.
Event Opportunities (top)
Based on survey feedback received from mentors and students at the Kick-Off Event, we have added to our original event offerings this academic year. Among the programs we already had planned, take a look below for new SPH-specific opportunities to: tour a public health clinic and receive an exclusive tour of the upcoming Bob Dylan Exhibit at the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum!
1-19-07
You are invited to a tour of the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC Clinic) located at 2001 Bloomington Ave on Friday, January 19 from 8:00-9:00 a.m. Bagels and juice will be provided at the beginning of the tour. CUHCC clinic is a University-affiliated clinic located in the heart of Phillips Neighborhood in Minneapolis. CHUCC's main goal is to provide primary care services to children and low income families in South Minneapolis. They provide health care services across primary care, mental health and dental services in seven languages! For more information on the clinic visit their website at http://www.ahc.umn.edu/cuhcc/. If you have questions about the tour, feel free to contact Andrea Johnson at joh02607@umn.edu.
You may RSVP now at http://www.sph.umn.edu/alumni/cuhcc/. The RSVP deadline is January 17th. A reminder e-mail will be sent out mid-January.
1-24-07
Attend the 2007 Legislative Briefing and Reception – January 24, 2007. Join University of Minnesota alumni, faculty, staff, and students for the 2007 Legislative Briefing and Reception on Jan. 24, from 5:30 – 8:15 p.m., at the McNamara Alumni Center. Join us for an insider’s preview and discussion of the University of Minnesota’s 2007 legislative requests. Hear President Bruininks, along with students, faculty, and alumni explain how the projects in this year’s request will benefit the University and the entire state. Learn the skills necessary to be an effective advocate for the University at the Capitol and in your own community. Enjoy a light dinner and meet others who care about the future of the U.
RSVP to attend the Legislative Briefing at www.supporttheu.umn.edu or call 612-626-1417.
1-31-07
Speed Networking
Both mentors and students will benefit from this session, which will provide an opportunity to network with other public health professionals as well as students and mentors from other University of Minnesota mentor programs. Co-sponsored by the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) Mentor Connection, this event is free for mentors and students! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 31st from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at the McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street SE on the Minneapolis campus.
You may RSVP now at www.alumni.umn.edu/Speed_Networking.html
A reminder e-mail will be sent out in January.
2-02-07
Take a tour of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Facilities located at MDH, Freeman Building, 625 Robert Street N., St. Paul, on Friday, February 2, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The SPH mentor program is sponsoring a behind-the-scenes tour of MDH's new metro buildings—including the laboratories. Find out “what's going on” at MDH with your mentor or student mentee. Refreshments will be served. For more information about the tour, contact Emily Abbott at abbot093@umn.edu.
RSVP online at www.sph.umn.edu/alumni/mdh
The RSVP deadline is Jan. 30. A reminder e-mail will be sent out in January.
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Join SPH Mentors Feb. 15 at the Weisman for a private tour of the Bob Dylan exhibit. |
2-15-07
Join other SPH mentors and students for appetizers and beverages followed by an exclusive tour of the Bob Dylan Exhibit in the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum on Thursday, February 15 from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. This touring exhibition brings Bob Dylan back home to the University of Minnesota, which he attended in the early 1960s when he became a folk singer in nearby Dinkytown. The multimedia exhibition brings together music, film, lyric sheets, letters, album covers, musical instruments, photographs, and other artifacts to explore Dylan's artistic development and ability to mirror and influence the day's volatile social and cultural changes.
The exhibition at the Weisman will include items not seen anywhere else in the nation! Beverages and appetizers will be served in the newly-remodeled Mayo Auditorium from 5:00 to 6:15 p.m., the group tour will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Weisman Art Museum. Attendance is limited to the first 40 people. For more information about the exhibit or evening, contact Emily Abbott at abbot093@umn.edu
RSVP now at www.sph.umn.edu/alumni/dylan/. The deadline to RSVP is February 8th. A reminder e-mail for the event will be sent out in late-January.
03-02-07
Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the Minnesota State Capital on Friday, March 2nd from 1:30 - 4:00pm. The tour will begin with a basic discussion of the legislative process. A guided tour of both the Capitol and State Office Building will follow. The tour will also include a discussion of the importance of lobbying and how to lobby on critical public health issues. Refreshments will be provided. For more information about the tour, contact Emily Abbott at abbot093@umn.edu.
You can RSVP now at www.sph.umn.edu/alumni/capitol/. The deadline to RSVP is February 23rd. A reminder e-mail will be sent out early-February.
4-02-07 until 4-06-07
Make plans to attend the annual National Public Health Week Film Festival, sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, the Minnesota Public Health Association, and more than 15 other community partner organizations. Help celebrate National Public Health Week, April 2-6. More details to come!
4-18-07
You're invited to the Mentor Appreciation Reception with your mentee or mentor to celebrate the culmination of your participation in the SPH Mentor Program this year on Wednesday, April 18 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the McNamara Alumni Center. Students, this will be a great time to thank your mentor for his or her commitment and dedication to your personal and professional growth. Everyone who participated in the SPH Mentor Program is invited to attend the evening's festivities, whether or not your mentor/mentee is able to make it. It will be an opportunity to meet new people, learn about various public health career experiences, and practice your networking skills. We hope to see you there! More information will be sent out closer to the date.
4-28-07
Participate in the Twin Cities Heart Walk on April 28th! Mentors and their students can join thousands of other walkers at the Twin Cities Heart Walk to fight heart disease and stroke. The walk will begin at Harriet Island. You will be inspired to live a life that includes physical activity and heart-healthy choices everyday. Our team name is SPH Mentor Program. If you would like to join the walk with us or support the team, click on the link below. Donations are not required to be a team participant.
If you have any questions, please contact Emily Abbott at abbot093@umn.edu.
Team page link: http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=12&i=184440&g=1717140
Best wishes,
Michelle Lian-Anderson
and Emily Abbott
Please contact phmentor@umn.edu for questions or feedback. |