2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The challenges of the college experience, particularly as students transition into it, highlight the importance of a strong support system for students. As part of this support system, mentoring has become a key element in promoting the growth and success of undergraduates. and it has gained attention for offering personalized guidance and fostering a sense of belonging within the academic community. Faculty-student relationships are widely recognized as influential factors in student achievement, and this work aims to understand the needs and expectations of students, as well as the perspectives of the faculty involved, in an Electrical and Computer Engineering department in a large public university.

Faculty members are typically assigned approximately 30–35 students spanning various academic levels. Most students are paired with a faculty mentor in their first year and maintain this relationship through graduation. If the initial pairing proves ineffective, students have the option to choose an alternative mentor. It is important to note that a faculty mentor’s research specialization does not necessarily align with the mentee’s specific area of interest.

This mentoring program mandates that students meet with their assigned faculty mentors once per semester, although implementation practices differ among faculty members. Meetings may be conducted individually or in groups, either in person or virtually, and encompass a broad range of academic and professional development topics. Individual mentoring offers tailored guidance, whereas group mentoring promotes peer learning and networking. Prior studies indicate that peer mentoring positively influences student retention and self-esteem. Attendance at these meetings is compulsory, and noncompliance results in a registration hold for the subsequent semester. Students are responsible for scheduling appointments based on their mentors’ stated availability. This support is especially critical during the early years of college, when students often lack a research mentor, have limited awareness of departmental and university resources, and may feel overwhelmed by the abundance of information.

This work presents the findings of the final phase of the corresponding work-in-progress project. In the final phase faculty members will allow students to choose their preferred meeting format (group or one-on-one) during the Fall 2025 mentoring sessions. At the end of the period, faculty members within the department will invite their mentees to voluntarily participate in a survey designed to assess their experiences and preferences regarding various aspects of the mentoring process . The survey explores topics discussed during meetings, areas students wished to address, resources provided or desired, and perceptions of meeting duration and frequency, among other factors. Additionally, faculty members will be asked to complete a corresponding survey to capture their perspectives on mentoring, as well as the difference between their mentoring and the departmental advising . The full paper will present the findings from these surveys and will offer recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the mentoring process.