Mentored Employment Program Faculty Details
Welcome to the College of Forestry Mentored Employment Program.
As a faculty member, you have a unique opportunity to mentor undergraduate students through meaningful research and field-based experiences. The MEP supports student learning while providing valuable assistance to your research or programmatic work.
Program Highlights
- Guided Research: Students gain hands-on experience under the mentorship of faculty and postdoctoral researchers.
- Industry Connections: Students build professional networks that support future career opportunities.
- Mentoring Relationships: Foster a love of learning and build meaningful connections with students.
- Balanced Approach: Students earn income while gaining experience; faculty receive support on critical projects.
What is Mentorship
Mentorship is a professional relationship between a faculty mentor and an undergraduate protege. As a mentor, you guide, teach, and support students in their academic and professional development - helping to shape the next generation of scholars.
Benefits of being a faculty mentor
Beyond project assistance, mentoring offers students exposure to possible career paths, advancement of classroom-learned skills through hands-on experiences, and a fresh perspective on your research endeavors.
Who Can Be a Mentor
- College of Forestry faculty
- Post-doctoral researchers
- Faculty research assistants
- Extension faculty
Where can Mentorship Happen
- In laboratories
- At field sites
- Through online or remote work
Mentor Expectations
- Collaboratively define project goals and outcomes with their protégé
- Establish a project timeline, training needs, communication preferences, and meeting schedule
- Encourage participation in the MEP Poster Symposium
- Submit a brief end-of-year reflection about your MEP experience
Time Commitment
- Mentoring is vital. Plan to spend 1-3 hours per week mentoring your (in-person, remote, email, etc.)
Ideal MEP projects
- Research assistance (lab, field)
- Teaching or educational initiatives
- Programmatic development (new programs for a unit/entities)
- Project-based assignment within a team project
- Literature reviews (great for remote student work!)
Download Examples of Mentored Employment Program projects (Power Point document)
MEP Funding Information
- Funding covers student wages and OPE during fall, winter, and spring terms only.
- Projects are selected based on the quality of student experience
- Projects must align with the CoF Mentored Employment Program (Student Technical Assistant Pool 2025-26 job description
- Monthly fund updates help manage hours and avoid overspending
- If student hours exceed MEP funds, an alternate index must be provided
- One proposal per faculty member will be funded
Student Eligibility
Students must be
- Currently enrolled at least part-time (6 or more OSU credits) as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate in the College of Forestry
- In good academic standing
Students who are only minoring in the CoF (not enrolled in a CoF undergrad major) are not eligible to apply.
Targeted Mentorship Opportunities
We encourage mentorship of students who are
- From underserved and underrepresented communities
- First generation students
- Veterans
- In their first or second year (including Transfer students)
- New to mentorship and research experiences
Student Work Hours
- MEP runs during fall, winter and spring terms only
- Students may work up to 24 total hours per week across all campus jobs
- Refer to the Student Employment Manual for current policies
Presentation Opportunities
Students are encouraged to present their research:
- Spring term MEP Poster Symposium (May 27, 2026, PFSC Atrium, 11:00am - 12:15pm)
- Fall Virtual Symposium (FVS)
- Western Forestry Graduate Research Symposium (WFGRS)
Ready to Get Involved?
Interested in mentoring a student through MEP? Submit a proposal detailing your project's impact on research and type of experience students can expect!
Questions about the Mentored Employment Program can be directed to Brooke Harrington in the Student Services Office, 116 Peavy Forest Science Center, (541) 737-1593