APSA Mentoring Program: Fall Enrollment Now Open!
APSA encourages members to share their expertise and experience through mentoring! The APSA Mentoring Program connects scholars and professionals who have volunteered to provide advice, support, and guidance on a wide range of topics within the political science profession. The Mentorship Program aims to connect students, scholars, and professionals seeking advice, support, and guidance with volunteer mentors in the discipline. See frequently asked questions or find resources on remote mentoring, culturally aware mentorship, mentoring guides for students and more here.
Fall Enrollment is Now Open! We welcome applications from mentors year-round.
The deadline to submit your mentee application is Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Mentee Application
Looking for a mentor? Submit a mentee application to connect with political science scholars and professionals who have volunteered to provide advice, support, and guidance on a wide range of topics within the political science profession.
Mentor Application
Interested in becoming a mentor? The mentorship program aims to connect students, scholars, and professionals seeking advice and support mentors in the discipline. APSA has compiled mentor resources for faculty who want to learn more about mentoring.
Background of the APSA Mentor Program
The APSA Council established the Task Force on Mentoring in Political Science (2002) to address issues of recruitment, retention, and integration of women and people of color in the profession—especially younger political scientists, both graduate students and younger faculty.
A major goal of the task force—which was comprised of members of the women’s caucus and APSA status committees—was to create a mentoring program that could also provide general professional advice and support that is the heart of mentoring for all political scientists.
As a result the APSA Mentoring Program was created in 2003 and connects undergraduate, graduate students, and junior faculty from all backgrounds to experienced and senior members of the profession for professional development support on academic and career topics.
Currently, the APSA Mentor Program accepts applications from mentees twice a year, once at the beginning of the fall semester and once at the beginning of the spring semester. Mentees are matched with volunteer APSA Mentors who are senior and advanced scholars and practitioners in the discipline. Short term and long term matches are available. Mentor matches are dependent upon availability of mentors.
20th Anniversary of the APSA Mentoring Program
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Mentoring Program – Enroll for Fall 2024
APSA invites you to serve as a mentor! In honor the APSA Mentoring Program’s 20th Anniversary, we welcome mentors at all career levels and across all political science subfields. If you have any questions about the program, please contact us at mentoring@apsanet.org.
APSA Mentor Testimonials
| “[Dr. Mia Bloom] has truly gone above and beyond the call of duty in numerous ways: identifying opportunities for me to apply to or look into, suggesting contacts of her own that may be relevant to my work, and checking in on my progress on a regular basis. I share this… in the hopes of highlighting the value of this program, as a whole, but more specifically, underlining the value – and need – for attentive, invested, caring mentors like Mia.” Read more about Dr. Bloom here. |
| “Dr. James McHugh has been a wonderful APSA mentor, providing me with invaluable advice on pursuing a career in academia.” Read more about Dr. McHugh here. |
| “Dr. Liza Mugge helped me identify strengths & weaknesses of my CV.” Read more about Dr. Mugge here. January is National Mentor Month: Read the 2016 presidential proclamation |
The Matching Process
APSA accepts mentor requests for professional advice and for short-term (one semester) and long-term (one academic year) mentoring. Given your stated preferences and mentor question(s), we do our best to find a suitable mentor match. Matched mentors and mentees are encouraged to continue the relationship beyond the official APSA mentoring period if they find it mutually beneficial.
APSA staff makes mentor matches twice a year: once at the beginning of the fall semester (for short term and long term matches) and once at the beginning of the spring semester (for short term matches).
Matched mentees and mentors must agree to engage in the mentoring process in a professional and courteous fashion. Please respond to emails or phone calls in a timely fashion in order to move the mentoring process along in a productive manner. Mentors and mentees should discuss communication and time commitment expectations prior to engaging in the mentoring process.
APSA staff provide a mentor-mentee orientation at the beginning of each semester. This is an expected component of the APSA mentoring program.
Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell Mentoring Award
The APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession recognizes outstanding mentoring each year. These four recipients received a non-monetary certificate and will be recognized at the APSA Annual Meeting Joint Status Committee Reception. In 2023, the committee recognized the following individuals: