What Is a Mentor?

A mentor is a combination of
many different people-part cheerleader, part coach, part teacher, part student, part guide, and part listener. A mentor guides, inspires, encourages, counsels,

advises, questions, and answers. A mentor
can play many roles, such as a caring adult,
career counselor, or MentorPlace activity advisor.
No matter how diverse the roles or how varied the responsibilities, the mentor's primary job is to
support students in achieving their ultimate goal-to
be whomever they want to be.

Mentoring can take place in several different ways: in-person or online, as part of a school program, or outside of school

altogether. Mentoring plays a significant

Be sure to read About MentorPlace for general program information and What Is a Mentor? for definitions of mentoring. Check out the Slide Show for stories from the field. Or, just dive into Fostering Mentoring Relationships.

role in both the workplace and school,
and it can take place as part of a formal
program or develop outside of any formal structure. Adults joining IBM MentorPlace are agreeing to participate in a formal, school-based electronic mentoring program.

As participants in this program, adults must

keep in mind that mentoring relationships

are beneficial to students only when there is sustained and regular communication between an adult and student. A mentor, above all else, is an adult who is consistent and who is "there" for a student, even when the student is unable, or at times unwilling, to communicate.