Pathway to the Skies
Information for
Interested Mentors
Program Details
Our program runs Fall through Spring semester. Interns work up to 10 hours/week for 30 weeks. There is one time sheet for interns, and this is online through NAU Louie. This is where interns will login and submit their time weekly. Online times sheets are approved every week. Students must input info online in real time as they work. Mentors provide guidance to student on their research project and help their student with preparation of presentation for the Undergraduate Expo & Symposium which takes place each spring semester at the High Country Conference Center in April. Students can present their work as an exhibit, performance, oral presentation, or poster presentation. Students are responsible for submitting a completed registration form online by end of March for the Symposium.
Program Schedule
- Late August: Program Start
- September: Student/Mentor Orientation
- January: Mid-year Mentor/Student check in
- March: Guidelines for preparing for the Undergraduate Expo & Symposium
- April: Undergraduate Expo & Symposium
- Late April: Last Day of Internship
Mentorship Requirements & Eligibility
Mentors commit to providing interns the opportunity to broaden their educations with a rich, hands-on experience with the full process of inquiry and discovery. As a mentor you will work to provide an environment where your intern can learn and experience the research process from start to finish. You will act as a guide, encouraging your intern to understand the discovery process, learn the fundamentals necessary to succeed, and ultimately drive the experience mentoring your intern in terms of work guidance, but also in terms of helping them evolve as students going into STEM career fields.
Mentors must:
- Apply for Research Mentorship by submitting and Online Application by fall deadline
- Undergo “best practices” trainings focused on advising and EDI issues prior to intern placement
Project Funding & Duration
Selected students:
- Work 10 hours/week (the standard undergraduate work year – Fall & Spring Semesters)
- Are paid $15.50/hour (which is the current minimum wage in Coconino County)
- Total awarded hours per project is 300 hours (30 weeks at 10 hours/week)
- Supply/item/material requests up to a specific limit are allowed per internship/project
Matching Student to Projects
The goal is to provide a new and rich experience to the applicant. Mentors are then responsible for reviewing all intern applications based on the content and quality of the applicant’s responses to three open-ended questions. GPA, motivation for applying, interest-level, potential, and involvement (work, volunteerism, other activities) should also be considered. (Experience should not a factor in the selection process as the internship is designed to provide first research opportunities).