Are you a current Yale undergraduate student interested in graduate/professional school? Do you think you would benefit from the advice of a postdoc or graduate/professional student currently studying in your field of interest at Yale? Over 300 GUMI mentors have signed up to take on Yale College students like yourself so that they can give you advice and guidance on your academic/professional journey, and they’re only a search away!

To make the process of getting a mentor easy and frustration-free for all parties, please follow these guidelines:

1. 1. Review the GUMI Code of Conduct.
   2. Browse the GUMI Mentor Database for mentor listings that interest you! You can narrow your search either by keyword or by category. Be sure to click (More…) to see more information on the mentor including their bio and contact information!
   3. Ensure that the mentor is accepting new mentees at this time (Click “More…”)
   4. When you have found an available mentor listing that interests you – reach out! Their contact information is included at the top of their listing; to make it easier for mentors please introduce yourselves to them with a brief email (about a paragraph or two) including the following information:
      • Your name
      • Your year (first-year, sophomore, junior, or senior)
      • Your prospective major (or if undecided, what area of study/classes you’re interested in)
      • … And a little bit about yourself! Talk about your future plans, your personal background, your hobbies – let your prospective mentor get to know a little bit about you!
      • Include “GUMI Mentee” in your subject line, so your email doesn’t get lost in the shuffle!

If you’d like, you may use our template outreach email – just fill in the blanks with your details!

1. 5. Mentors should respond within 72 hours – if it’s a match, congratulations! You’re now a GUMI mentee.
   6. Continue the conversation with your mentor – figure out a meeting schedule, what you’d like help with, etc. If you’d like some icebreakers, check out our sample questions/conversation starters!

Please don’t feel shy about reaching out – our mentors are expecting your message and are excited to take on undergraduates interested in their field of study. Please be considerate of mentor’s availability (although you may reach out to ask to be a mentee in future semesters), and don’t take it personally if a mentor feels that there may be a better fit for your mentorship needs (if so, check other listings or ask if there is a particular student that the mentor knows who could be a better fit!). There are plenty of listings in our database, and more mentors are signing up every day; if there isn’t a mentor that fits your interests now, check back in a short while!

The specifics of your mentor/mentee relationship are up to you and your mentor; be sure to button down how often you’d like to meet (at least 2-3 times per semester, please!), what you’re looking to get out of a mentorship experience, etc.

If you have any questions or concerns about the program, please feel free to contact us here. We’ll get back to you shortly!