Mentoring for First-Year Female Students
In early July, participants in the “Mentoring for First-Year Female Students” project gathered on the rooftop terrace of the LASE building. Nearly 30 mentees and mentors of various nationalities from eight departments enjoyed the view and the beautiful weather and took the opportunity to chat and network.
The event was hosted by Christine Klein, who has been coordinating the Mentoring for First-Year Female Students program since 2019, and Tülin Aksu, the research assistant for the project.
At the start of the academic year, first-year female students are paired with experienced female students in the same degree program. Each project participant fills out a profile form that includes contact information, academic details, and interests and hobbies. Based on this information, the search for a suitable mentor begins. Once a mentor is found, an initial meeting is held to get to know each other and discuss the details.
In a one-on-one relationship, the first-semester students are then supported by their mentor as they begin their studies. In the process, they not only receive important tips about their studies and their new life in Kaiserslautern, but also get to know key contacts at the TU and students in higher semesters through their mentor.
There are now nearly 130 female students available as mentors. Nevertheless, finding the right tandem partner from her degree program for each first-year student sometimes feels like detective work. But with the help of the project participants, the contact persons from the student councils, the academic advisors from the various departments, and many other supporters at TUK, we’ve always managed to match first-semester students with their mentors either before the semester begins or within the first few weeks of the semester.
When asked about their experiences, the mentees almost unanimously emphasize how important this support is at the start of their studies. They benefit from information about their program, creating a class schedule, and preparing for exams. But in their mentor, they also have a support person who celebrates their successes with them and encourages them to persevere through difficult times. For many, their mentor has become a friend, and these connections continue well beyond the end of the project.
In addition, networking among the project participants is a key component of this project. Various activities are organized for this purpose. Since these have been held almost exclusively online in recent semesters due to the pandemic, in-person meetings are currently highly sought after. On the one hand, first-year students have the opportunity to get to know other first-year students in their own and other departments, build relationships, and work together to overcome the challenges of college life. On the other hand, the mentors exchange ideas about their mentoring roles and support one another when difficulties arise. They also leverage these connections for their own studies and future careers. For example, they share experiences on choosing topics for bachelor’s or master’s theses, exchange recommendations for internships, and suggest part-time jobs. Currently, some mentors are planning a group visit to a career fair, for instance.
The workshop series offered as part of the project, “Successful Studies – Shaping the Future,” with approximately 14 workshops per year, offers mentees and mentors the opportunity to further their education and expand their soft skills, as well as to strengthen their connections with other project participants and expand their network. The workshop topics are tailored to the students’ wishes and needs and range from “Effective Presenting and Communicating” to “Mindfulness Throughout the Day—Greater Focus in Your Studies.”
The project’s success is largely due to the fact that the mentors—who, incidentally, serve in a volunteer capacity—carry out their roles with great enthusiasm and dedication. Many of them have been involved with the project for a long time and have already mentored several first-year students. It is also extremely gratifying that nearly all mentees go on to become mentors themselves after participating in the project, thereby giving back the support they themselves received.
Shortly after the summer semester, the project will conclude for nearly 50 mentees who began their studies in the winter semester of 21/22.
Applications to participate in the mentoring project for the winter semester 2022/23 are now being accepted. Please inform first-year female students about this program. Those interested can contact Christine Klein at .
Since each first-year student is assigned a mentor from her own degree program, there is a continuous need for additional mentors; therefore, applications from experienced female students are always very welcome.
Christine Klein, Mentoring for Female Students