Celebrate National Mentoring Month!

Published January 8, 2018

January is National Mentoring Month

National Mentoring Month

Mentoring benefits both the mentor and the mentee, which is why January has been named National Mentoring Month. Whereas mentors can build leadership and management skills, expand their professional network, and experience an empowering opportunity to give back to the community, mentoring can be a critical component in a young person’s life.

Mentorship can be a critical component in a young person’s life. A mentor empowers their mentee to make smart choices, putting them on the path to making good decisions in their career and in life. Mentoring is a central component in the National Institutes of Health’s national BUILD (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity) initiative, which trains undergraduates in health-related research with the goal of diversifying the scientific research workforce. BUILD mentors help students gain valuable research experience and guide them to choose the best graduate program for their career goals. BUILD mentors often also help their mentees build leadership and management skills, expand their professional network, and experience an empowering opportunity to give back to the community.

CSULB BUILD appreciates our Research Mentors participation in the program. Without their mentorship, BUILD Associates, Scholars, and Fellows would not gain the experience and guidance they need to give them a successful headstart for their research careers. On top of their teaching responsibilities and maintaining their own research careers, mentors serve as a resource to students.

This January, we are celebrating our mentors with a social media campaign, #MyBUILDmentor. All January long, the 10 university campuses in the BUILD initiative and the National Research Mentoring Network will highlight mentors and mentees on social media.

Post a photo or video and describe how mentorship has benefited or positively impacted you!

Here are some important dates that are part of National Mentoring Month:

Jan. 17 – International Mentoring Day. Mentors and mentees from around the world will be sharing their stories with photos and video on social media. Please join in and use the hashtags #CSULBBUILD, #NationalMentoringMonth, #MyBUILDMentor, and #BUILDMentor.
Jan. 25 – Thank Your Mentor Day. We encourage BUILD trainees to share their appreciation for their mentors on social media using the hashtags #ThankYourMentor and #MyBUILDMentor. If you have a mentor you’d like to recognize, please join in with the hashtags #CSULBBUILD, #ThankYourMentor, #BUILDMentor, and #NationalMentoringMonth.
Jan. 26 – #MyBUILDMentor Twitter Chat. Between 11 am and noon, you can join the official Twitter Chat by including #MyBUILDMentor in your post. You can share tips, advice, your mentorship experiences, memories, photos, gifs, and videos. You can also ask questions and recollect the value you've gained through mentorship.

To make it easier for you to join in the national conversation on mentorship, see below for your sharing pleasure a variety of suggested posts and social media friendly images.

Social Media Post Swipe File

For BUILD Mentees

Thank you @[TAG YOUR MENTOR] for being #MyMentor. This #NationalMentoringMonth I hope you'll join me in thanking your mentor using #ThankYourMentor! #CSULBBUILD
This is #NationalMentoringMonth! Celebrate the mentors who made a difference in your life and #ThankYourMentor! #MyBUILDMentor #BUILDMentor #CSULBBUILD
The most valuable thing I learned from #MyBUILDMentor is [share what you learned] #CSULBBUILD #NationalMentoringMonth

For BUILD Mentors

This #NationalMentoringMonth, you can be the difference a future researcher needs to succeed. Become a #BUILDMentor http://goo.gl/DxYDuv #MyBUILDMentor #CSULBBUILD
I'm a proud #BUILDMentor! I hope you'll also become a mentor this #NationalMentoringMonth. http://goo.gl/DxYDuv #CSULBBUILD
Mentoring starts by getting out there and connecting with inspiring people. #MyBUILDMentor #NationalMentoringMonth
What I love most about being a #BUILDMentor is [share what you love] #CSULBBUILD #NationalMentoringMonth