Kanaka ʻōiwi have an unparalleled kuleana to care for Hawai‘i’s land and oceans. The mission of the SOEST Maile Mentoring Bridge program is to attract undergraduates from Hawaiʻi into SOEST degree programs and help them thrive through individualized mentoring and peer support.
Maile mentees are current and prospective SOEST students. Each mentee is paired with a mentor who is a SOEST graduate student, post-doctoral research associate, or recent graduate. Mentor-mentee pairs meet regularly (~1–2x/month) for lunch, and all participants attend group meetings (~1–2x/semester) to share experiences, provide a sense of community, and strategize solutions to any problems that they may be experiencing.
Benefits for Undergraduates
- Exposure to ongoing ocean, earth, and environmental science research in Hawai‘i and beyond (including opportunities to participate in research cruises, laboratory work, etc.).
- Exposure to possible career pathways in the ocean, earth, and environmental sciences, and access to jobs and professional development.
- Support, advice, skills, and encouragement to achieve success as an undergraduate in SOEST. This includes free tutoring and assistance with preparing applications for paid summer research internships, scholarships, and graduate school.
Benefits for Graduate Students
- Professional development training on mentoring undergraduate students.
- Exposure to the culture of Hawai‘i.
- Be a part of supporting students in SOEST and expanding our geoscience workforce.