Overview

Mentors inspire, encourage, and support you, and contribute to your professional and personal development. You can expect to strengthen and build your network and gain the skills and confidence necessary to excel.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I choose a Mentor?
  • Early Action and Regular Admissions, and CGA Scholars appointees who verbally accept their appointment:
    • If you already have a mentor you wish to continue with, you can select the “Join Now” button and indicate who your mentor is when you create your profile.  Once you finish your profile and your mentor joins, you will be connected within Chronus.
    • If you have a mentor but wish to be assigned with a new mentor, you can select the “Join Now” button and indicate you have a current mentor but are requesting to switch when you create your profile.  You will then be matched with a mentor in Chronus who shares a similar profile as you.
    • If you do not have a mentor but would like to have one, you can select the “Join Now” button, create a profile, and fill out a dream sheet to be matched to a mentor in Chronus who can meet your needs.
  • Current Cadets:
    • If you already have a mentor you wish to continue with, you can select the “Join Now” button and indicate who your mentor is when you create your profile.  Once you finish your profile and your mentor joins, you will be connected within Chronus.
    • If you have a mentor but wish to be assigned with a new mentor, you can select the “Join Now” button and indicate you have a current mentor but are requesting to switch when you create your profile.  You will then be matched with a mentor in Chronus who shares a similar profile as you.
    • If you do not have a mentor but would like to have one, you can select the “Join Now” button, create a profile, and fill out a dream-sheet to be matched to a mentor in Chronus who can meet your needs.
• How long will the mentors be available?  Mentor relationships are intended to last throughout your academy experience and beyond.  For appointed cadets, your mentor's minimum commitment lasts until Reporting Day. For CGAS Scholars, your mentor's minimum commitment will last until CGAS Graduation. After Swab Summer and current cadets' operational summer, you will be invited to continue the program. Once invites are sent electronically, mentees will log into Chronus and take a survey to indicate whether they 1) wish to continue with the same mentor, 2) continue with a different mentor, or 3) request to be disenrolled from the program. We require that your mentor meet with you at least once every 3 weeks to keep relationships active but you and your mentor can set additional timelines for connecting.
• How will I meet with my mentor?  There are many ways to meet with your mentor.  Most mentee-mentor relationships will be virtual since our mentors are serving in the Coast Guard all over the world.  'Face-to-face' contact is the preferred method utilizing video conferencing technology.  Mentoring can also take place through emails, phone calls, and texts.  The means of communication can further be established by you and you mentor during your initial meeting.
• What should I do if my mentoring relationship isn’t going well?  We understand and acknowledge that not every match will work out perfectly.  If you have concerns or are experiencing difficulties, use the contact administrator feature or reach out to your segment coordinator to let us know.  We will provide our full support to resolve the situation in a positive and satisfactory manner.
• What will I discuss with my mentor? Mentors are available to discuss the following: the academy experience, cadet life, academic majors, extracurricular activities, sports, their career experience, various Coast Guard career paths post USCGA, post graduate education opportunities, identifying and mitigating biases and leadership and conflict resolution within the Coast Guard.
• What types of goals can I set with my mentor? Get creative and think of goals that can help you improve your listening skills, leadership abilities, or areas for personal and professional development.  Being honest with your mentor about strengths and weaknesses will help them guide you as you build confidence within the CGA Scholars Program, Cadet Corps, and Coast Guard Community.

Student DO's

1. Take a proactive role in shaping the relationship.  Take the time to complete your mentoring agreement at the start of the relationship so both you and your mentor are working off the same page of expectations.
2. Be upfront: Let your mentor know what your goals are and what you hope to take away from the program.
3. Be Reliable and Consistent: Set aside time for the mentoring process and keep all scheduled appointments with your mentor.
4. Put the time with your mentor to its best use.  Come to your meetings with planned topics for discussion and remember to be polite and courteous.
5. Respond in a timely manner to your mentor’s feedback.  Respond to emails from your mentor within one day of receipt.
6. Be open and honest with your mentor about your challenges and weaknesses. 
7. Let your mentor know if you don’t understand something or have a differing opinion.
8. Listen: Ask if you can observe your mentor’s practice if he/she is local.
9. Get to Know Each Other: Get to know each other on an individual basis.
10. Stay Positive: Your mentor will push you to accomplish agreed upon goals and challenge you to step outside your comfort zone. You mentor will never criticize you but will offer constructive feedback to help you succeed at CGA and beyond.
11.  If something concerning the mentor needs to be discussed, it should first be discussed within the mentoring relationship, if possible.  If not, you should reach out to the program administrator for help. 

Student DON'Ts

1. Do not ask for advice on everything.  Have a purpose in each request and understand your mentor is there for you but is only a guide.
2. Do not blame the mentor if his or her advice doesn't work out.
3. Do not expect your mentor to know all the answers immediately.  Mentors have many connections and resources they can use to help research and find the answer to your questions which may take a few days.
4. Do not commit yourself to obligations you cannot keep.
5. Do not cancel meetings with your mentor at the last minute.  Mentors are balancing rigorous schedules and volunteer their time to assist you.  Last minute cancellations are frustrating for both parties involved and hinder successful mentoring.