Find a Mentor

Find a Mentor

There are many strategies to find the right mentor. It is easier to identify a mentor if you have some idea of what you want to do for a project or at least if you can narrow down your interests a bit. The actions listed below will work even if you have no idea!

Remember: you don’t have to pick a mentor in your major. Mentors in closely related majors may be doing research that is as interesting as mentors in your major. 
Picture of a man and a woman

The Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, and Research (OSCAR) home of undergraduate research and creative activities hosts the Excellence Awards and research poster presentation for students. 

Photo credit:
Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services/George Mason University

Effective Practices to Identify Possible Mentors

Step 1: Start with the resources from your department or college

  • Read the faculty research interests listed on your department or a related department website. 

  • If there are research posters hanging around your academic building, check them out. 

  • Check whether your department or college has a webpage devoted to undergraduate research opportunities. 

  • If your college has a student engagement person or a research coordinator, talk to them about opportunities. 

  • If your major or a related major has an undergraduate research program, organization, or class, take advantage of them. 

 

Step 2: Reach out to your existing network

  • Talk to your academic advisor about your interests and ask for suggestions of mentors to contact. 

  • Ask your professors about their research! 

  • Talk to graduate students or undergraduate researchers about their mentors. 

Step 3: Networking at academic events

  • Go to presentations by faculty and graduate students that match your interests. 

  • Take advantage of panels, lectures, websites, etc. discussing research opportunities. 

Step 4: Check out the OSCAR website

  • Check the list of student projects on the OSCAR website or visit the Celebration Page to see what undergraduate researchers are working on. 

  • Meet OSCAR peer leaders during drop-in hours in JC 228 or by appointment to discuss possible projects and mentors. 

  • Explore the research centers on the GMU Research Page. 

Once you identify a mentor, what’s next? 

  • Contact the potential mentors by email. Ask about opportunities to work with them or look up their office hours and make an appointment or go to drop-in hours. Before you reach out, make sure you have read their research interests.  

  • Keep in mind that faculty are as busy as you are. Be persistent! If they don’t get back to you, email them again after a few days. If your potential mentors do not have openings to work with you, ask for suggestions from other mentors. 

  • Helpful Tips:  
    • If you are eligible for federal work-study, let your potential mentors know! 
    • You can choose to register for credits (for example, SOCI 399: Independent Study, BIOL 499 RS: Research in Biology, and ANTH 499: Independent Research) while doing research under the mentorship of the faculty. If you need help registering for a course for your research project, come to the OSCAR office, and we can help you figure that out.