Information for Mentors

"Our Rice student was the perfect addition to a military organization; while we are proud of our culture and conservative outlook, a fresh perspective is often the most valuable quality we can get- and we got it- along with an enthusiastic approach to . . challenging tasks . . .”

- Adviser, Washington, D.C. policy organization

What is the Summer Mentorship Experience (SME)?

Leadership Rice's Summer Mentorship Experience is a prestigious summer internship program for Rice undergraduates who aspire to high-level leadership. The SME is more than a typical summer internship. Before starting their internships, students attend an intensive seminar that focuses on leadership in professional contexts and prepares them to succeed in their internships. For nine weeks over the course of the summer, students do substantive work with recognized leaders in public, private, or non-profit organizations. Students also complete readings and written assignments that deepen their understanding of the personal and professional demands leaders face. In addition, each student is paired with a mentor who is responsible for overseeing the student's learning and personal development.

Why mentor?

Almost all of us in reflecting on our life trajectory can identify someone who has encouraged us, challenged us, and given us opportunities we would not otherwise have enjoyed. The SME program is a unique opportunity for you to be that person for one of the next generation of leaders. Many of the best, brightest, most ambitious students at Rice University are eager to learn, lead, and make a difference. These students want and need more than a summer job, and you could be the one to transform a routine internship into a unique, vibrant mentorship.

The SME program is a win-win-win situation for participating students, mentors, and organizations. Students get to apply their learning in a challenging but supportive professional context, mentors derive satisfaction from helping students realize their potential, and organizations get a bright, motivated, productive summer employee. Students and mentors often remain in touch long after the summer ends, and mentors often prove instrumental in helping students launch and advance their careers.  Ultimately, society benefits from a steady infusion of committed, capable leaders.

What do mentors do?

The mentor's primary responsibility is to equip the student to lead and succeed—during the summer and beyond. This can take a variety of forms, including allowing the student to shadow you and observe your leadership techniques, explaining how to navigate office politics, introducing the student to important persons in the industry, or critiquing the student's communication skills. Effective mentors make a deliberate effort to help their students reach their full potential. To this end, some mentors establish specific objectives for their students, while others set aside time to discuss leadership concepts, career options, or industry-specific keys to success. Every mentoring experience is different, and the best mentors are sensitive to their students' specific needs.  

A mentor need not be the student's direct supervisor, but should be familiar enough with the student's work to provide meaningful feedback and help ensure that the student is tasked with challenging projects.

Would I make a good mentor?

• I am interested in equipping the next generation of leaders.
• My organization can provide a challenging work environment in which a motivated student can observe leadership in action.
• I could interact regularly with a student over the course of the summer, including periodic meetings to assess progress, performance, and goals.
• My student would spend no more than 15% of his or her time on clerical work, and I can provide challenging projects for the student to work on.
• I expect exceptional work from exceptional students, and am willing to challenge students to reach their full potential and provide positive and negative feedback as warranted.

If you concur with all of the above, we encourage you to consider serving as a mentor in the SME program.

What else do I need to know?

Leadership Rice is responsible for matching students with organizations based on interests, skills, and needs. Participating organizations are responsible for providing nine weeks of substantive, challenging work for their student under the guidance of an assigned mentor.

SME program participants are awarded a stipend to cover living expenses, and mentoring organizations are asked to pay the full stipend. In some circumstances we are able to work with non-profit organizations to find alternate sources of funding if this arrangement presents a hardship for the organization. We hope that partner organizations view participation in the SME program not just as a source of high quality labor, but also an investment in promising students and a relationship with a university that is committed to equipping future leaders. Current stipend amounts (Houston - $4,000; NYC and DC - $6,000) are competitive—higher than those paid by many non-profit organizations and lower than those paid by many for-profit companies—and enable students from all financial backgrounds to develop their leadership skills in a variety of professional contexts.  

I'm interested. Now what?

If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please fill out this application and return it to Leadership Rice. If you have questions about the SME program, please contact Jennifer Murray, the assistant director of Leadership Rice, at 713-348-4750 or send an email to leading@rice.edu.

Leadership Rice is currently recruiting mentors in Houston, Washington, D.C., and New York City.