The College for Creative Studies recognizes mentorship as an essential component of student success, professional development, and community building. Each degree offering academic department will establish a mentorship model that supports students’ academic, creative, and professional growth while reflecting the unique needs of its discipline.
Departments are responsible for designing mentorship experiences that foster meaningful connections between students, faculty, peers, alumni, and industry professionals throughout the student experience. Mentorship is intended to provide developmental guidance, professional exposure, and support for student growth. Mentorship relationships do not replace academic advising, counseling, student support services, or other institutional processes. Participation in mentorship activities does not guarantee academic outcomes, internships, employment opportunities, or professional advancement.
Department Responsibilities
Each department shall develop a mentorship structure that:
- Supports students’ transition into the college and their chosen program.
- Encourages engagement with faculty, peers, and the broader creative community.
- Provides opportunities for academic guidance, personal growth, and career development.
- Connects upper-level students with external professionals, alumni, or industry partners when appropriate.
- Promotes networking, portfolio development, professional practice, and preparation for internships and employment.
Departments may use individual mentoring, group activities, peer mentoring, industry engagement, workshops, critiques, or other formats that best support their educational goals.
Faculty Responsibilities
Full-time faculty are required to participate in departmental mentorship activities as assigned by the Department Chair or Program leadership maintaining consistency with departmental workload expectations and institutional policies. Faculty participating in mentorship activities are expected to follow College policies regarding student privacy, reporting obligations, and professional conduct.
Faculty mentorship responsibilities may include:
- Supporting student academic and creative development.
- Encouraging engagement within the department and college community.
- Assisting students in identifying strengths, setting goals, and navigating program requirements.
- Facilitating opportunities for collaboration and peer connection.
- Referring students to appropriate campus resources when additional support is needed . Mentors who become aware of concerns involving student health, safety, harassment, discrimination, threats of harm, or other matters requiring institutional intervention shall follow applicable College reporting procedures and refer students to appropriate resources.
Specific mentoring assignments and formats may vary by department and academic level.
Professional and Alumni Mentorship
Departments are encouraged to establish partnerships with alumni and industry professionals to provide students with exposure to contemporary professional practice.
Professional mentors may assist students by:
- Sharing insights into creative practice and career pathways.
- Reviewing student work and portfolios.
- Providing constructive feedback and industry perspective.
- Offering guidance related to internships, networking, interviewing, and employment preparation.
- Supporting students’ understanding of professional expectations and workplace culture.
Departments may determine the timing, duration, and frequency of these relationships based on program objectives and student readiness.
Program Flexibility
The structure and implementation of mentorship activities will vary across departments. While the College supports consistency in the goals of mentorship, individual programs have the flexibility to design experiences that align with their curriculum, discipline, and student population.
Departments are encouraged to regularly review and assess their mentorship model to ensure it continues to meet student needs and advances institutional goals.
Institutional Mentoring Goals:
- Foster a sense of belonging and connection within the college community.
- Support students’ transition into their academic program and encourage engagement with campus resources and activities.
- Help students identify personal strengths, establish goals, and reflect on their academic and professional development.
- Provide constructive feedback that supports continuous improvement and creative growth.
- Connect students with diverse perspectives through interactions with faculty, peers, alumni, and industry professionals.
- Build professional confidence through exposure to career pathways, workplace expectations, networking opportunities, and portfolio development.
- Prepare graduates to successfully transition from education into professional practice and continued career development.
Mentor Assignment and Management
Students can find their assigned CCS Academic Advisors and Mentors listed in their Self-Service/Student Planning accounts
Faculty mentor assignments are coordinated by the Program Manager of each academic department. Mentors are assigned from the department’s full-time faculty and are intended to provide students with academic guidance, professional development support, and mentorship throughout their academic program.
Incoming Students
- New students are assigned a faculty mentor by the Program Manager prior to or at the beginning of their first academic term.
- Mentor assignments are reviewed annually to ensure equitable distribution of mentoring responsibilities among eligible full-time faculty.
Current Students
- Students will remain assigned to a faculty mentor within their major department throughout their enrollment unless a reassignment is warranted.
- Program Managers are responsible for updating mentor assignments when a student changes majors or when other academic or administrative circumstances require reassignment.
- Mentor assignment rosters should be reviewed at least annually and updated as needed to reflect faculty availability, program changes, and student enrollment.
Faculty Eligibility
- Faculty mentor assignments are limited to full-time faculty members.
- Students will be assigned to a faculty mentor within their declared major department whenever possible.
Student Requests for Mentor Changes
Students may request a change to their assigned faculty mentor by submitting a request to the Program Manager. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the student’s rationale, faculty workload, and the availability of appropriate mentors. Approval of mentor change requests is at the discretion of the Program Manager in consultation with the Department Chair, when appropriate.