FAQ

1. Why should I nominate my mentor?

2. How do I nominate my mentor?

3. Will my advisor know that I did/didn’t nominate him/her?

4. What should I include in the nomination statement?

5. How long should my statement of nomination be?

6. What about soliciting additional letters of support?

7. Does my nominee have to be my academic or primary research advisor?

8. My mentor is not in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Can I still nominate him/her?

9. How will the recipients be selected?

1. Why should I nominate my faculty mentor for an award?

If a faculty member has mentored you and made your graduate school experience academically and personally rewarding and fulfilling, the Council would like to provide recognition for these efforts which often go unnoticed. By honoring those who show concern for graduate students, the Council hopes to celebrate mentoring throughout the Graduate School.

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2. How do I nominate my faculty mentor for an award?

Download a PDF nomination form here. Upload your completed PDF form here. You will need Adobe Acrobat Professional to edit and save your form for uploading. Click here for instructions on obtaining this software for free from FAS.

Although uploads are strongly preferred, in case of irresolvable technological difficulties, you may also submit your nomination by e-mail to:

Please note that paper nominations will not be considered by the committee.

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3. Will my advisor know that I nominated him/her? Will my advisor know that I didn't nominate him/her?

No, all nominations will be kept strictly confidential. Although we hope that students will want to inform their advisors that they have been nominated, the Graduate Student Council will not do so. You are strongly encouraged to invite your mentor to the Awards Reception and Student-Faculty Dinner, but only award recipients will be specifically invited by the Committee. Your name will not be attached to any nomination without your consent.

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4. What should I include in the nomination statement?

We have left the contents of the student statement up to you on purpose, so that you can described why the faculty nominee has contributed to your graduate school experience in whichever way is appropriate for you. Some qualities and characteristics you may want to consider, if you desire, are listed on the statement of awards criteria. We encourage you to share stories and anecdotes and to be as specific as possible.

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5. How long should my statement of nomination be?

Again, we have not specified a length. A paragraph may be sufficient, while several pages may be excessive. The committee will be guided by the content of your statement, not by its length.

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6. What about soliciting additional letters of support?

You are welcome to ask other students to write additional letters in support of your nomination, although you are by no means expected to do so. A letter from a single student may be more than sufficient.

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 7. Does my nominee have to be my academic or primary research advisor?

No, students experience mentoring relationships with many faculty members, including committee members, course instructors, and others. You can nominate anyone you feel has served as a mentor to you.

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8. My mentor is not in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Can I still nominate him/her?

Yes. The awards are designed to recognize faculty for mentoring GSAS students in the context of their Harvard academic program, regardless of the affiliation of the faculty members. Students in GSAS inter-Faculty graduate programs are encouraged to nominate their mentors in FAS as well as other Faculties.

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9. How will the recipients be selected?

The GSC Excellence in Mentoring Awards Committee, which is composed of students from the four divisions of the Graduate School, will make the selections based solely upon the nominations of GSAS students. As such, the award is being bestowed by students. No faculty or administrators are involved in the selection process.

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Everett Mendelsohn Excellence in Mentoring Awards

Nomination Criteria

Frequently Asked Questions

Nomination Procedure

Upload Mentoring Award Nominations

Past GSAS Mentoring Award Recipients

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