MSLI Mentoring Program

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion seeks to foster leadership and career advancement by teaching skills and empowering students in the Multicultural Student Leadership Institute (MSLI) through access to successful Rider alumni, faculty and staff who wish to create a legacy of support and promote a new generation of culturally diverse leaders.

Together with the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, MSLI students may now opt to be mentored in their second semester at Rider, in the spring academic semester, in one of two ways. They may:

1. Commit to only one full semester of being mentored from a Rider alumni, faculty or staff without engaged learning or academic credits; -or-
2. Enroll in The Shadow Experience (IND 350) after committing to being mentored through MSLI for the spring academic semester, followed by classroom learning (can be off campus ) in the Summer I or II semesters for completion, which will yield one Academic credit and one Engaged Learning point. The mentors for the latter of the two will include: Rider alumni, faculty, staff and community business leaders.

Goals

• Foster learning through the experience and expertise of participants
• Offer alumni, faculty, staff and business leaders an opportunity to connect classroom to real-world experiences for students
• Inspire and motivate students to further develop their leadership skills
• Provide networking opportunities with other participants, guest speakers and presenters
• Build confidence and autonomy in students
• Develop meaningful professional relationships

Time Commitment

For Option #1, we ask our MSLI Mentors to commit to one full semester in the Spring academic calendar, from the MSLI Recognition Dinner in January through mid-May. If strong relationships or ties with the students develop, mentors may use their discretion in extending the term of involvement. For those students interested in Option #2, please see the requirements for Shadow for Success - IND 350.

MSLI Mentors will be selected by January 20th. (The Shadow for Success Hosts should follow the guidelines of IND 350.) This date will enable the MSLI Mentors to be prepared for meeting their students remotely PRIOR TO the MSLI Recognition Dinner in January, on the preceding Friday to the first day of classes of the spring semester. There will be a brief evening informational session (approximately one hour) for the MSLI Mentors during the last quarter of the year.

Expectations

It is important that participants commit themselves to the mentoring program and place a high value on relationships with each other. Participation in this program is both an honor and a responsibility. The contributions of both the mentor and students are critical to the quality of this experience for both parties. In many ways, the success of this program depends upon each participant's commitment. As with most of life's valuable opportunities, the more each person commits to this experience, the more they will take away from it.

Again, the total formal commitment for both the mentor and students (for Option #1) is only one semester (approximately 15 weeks). For students interested in Option #2 (IND 350), they will have their mentoring during the whole spring semester, followed by some coursework in Summer I OR Summer II, which may be completed off campus, wherever they are located.

• MSLI Mentor pairs will work together to set goals and develop an appropriate timeframe for accomplishing these goals. The student is responsible for articulating his/her goals and the mentor is responsible for shaping and refining the goals.
• MSLI Mentor pairs are encouraged to connect at least twice-a-week by phone, email, in person or through Skype, FaceTime, or other mediated modalities, with the goal of at least two minimum contacts. We encourage as many face-to-face meetings as possible; at least three minimums are desired, but not required, during the entire course of the 15-week period.

Time and schedules permitting, the program will include at least one formal gathering where all mentors and students can collectively experience speakers and/or an event that will focus on leadership skills such as public speaking, organization, etc.

At the conclusion of the second semester, and after the ‘end of program’ evaluations have been submitted, the mentors and students will be asked to convene to discuss the outcomes, if time and schedules allow for everyone to come together. Otherwise, communication, as needed, with the Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion is strongly encouraged.

Applications/Information Forms

Any first-year MSLI student interested in applying for participation in the MSLI Mentoring program for his/her second semester at Rider MUST complete an Application form, along with a letter of recommendation (IF requested by the Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion).

For those students who wish to enroll in the IND 350 Shadow for Success course for 1 Credit and 1 Engaged Learning point, follow the directions for the IND 350 course.

Deadline: January 15

Apply as a MSLI Mentor

Apply as a Student

No Credit or Engaged Learning points

Participant Requirements

MSLI Mentors

• Rider Alumni (exceptions may be discussed with the Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion).
• Rider Faculty/Staff.
• Complete the information form and submit a resume.
• Commit to the student through phone calls, emails, in-person meetings etc.
• Complete interim and final assessments.

Students

• MSLI student, in second semester at Rider, in good standing.
• Complete the information form.
• Commit to the program through phone calls, emails, in-person meetings, etc.
• Complete interim and final assessments.

For more information, please contact: