Bridging the Gap through Mentorship

By the fall of 2023, the North Carolina State University (NC State) physics department had not quite recovered the sense of community it had before the pandemic. Though classes were back in person, a vital connection had been lost.
Upper-level students who would have imparted their wisdom and support to newer students had graduated, leaving students entering advanced classes with fewer experienced mentors. To help bridge the gap created during the pandemic and rebuild our community, we launched the Physics Undergraduate Mentorship Program.

Many individuals, upon entering programs within the department, worry that they aren’t “cut out” for physics, especially when it comes to research and higher education. To combat the sense of imposter syndrome so deeply embedded within the field, we at NC State hoped to not only recreate the supportive network that students had experienced before the pandemic but also enhance it.

We designed the mentorship program to foster connections between upper-level students and newer students in our department, as well as to increase retention rates, especially among people from underrepresented populations. The goal was for upper-level students to share their academic and professional experiences, thereby providing guidance to others. To ensure meaningful connections for everyone, mentors and mentees were paired based on their preferences, such as academic interests, hobbies, and personal identities. Each pair was asked to meet at least twice a semester to discuss academic challenges and career opportunities, or just share a friendly conversation.

Since the program began, we have observed anecdotally that more undergraduates are pursuing research early as a result of the connections and confidence they developed through mentoring relationships. And we can safely assume that the benefits have extended beyond research. We have seen peer mentors provide advice for mentees on elective courses, student organizations, and work–life balance. This saved time and reduced stress is exactly what we were hoping to achieve with this effort.

Looking ahead, we aim to expand the scope of the mentorship program. In the first year we had nine mentors supporting 12 mentees, but we would like to pair most physics undergraduates at NC State with a mentor at some point in their academic career. By expanding our student base, we will also be able to more effectively match students according to their preferences.

With departmental support and additional funding, we envision this program including an entrance and exit ceremony, or a celebration dinner. We could even extend the mentorship program to include experienced graduate students, pairing them with new graduate students or even undergraduates. Our ultimate goal is to foster an inclusive and diverse physics community at NC State, one in which every student feels empowered, supported, and ready to thrive, both academically and professionally. It’s a goal we are well on our way to achieving.