OSRI Faculty Mentor FAQ

Tenured and tenure track faculty, continuing visiting faculty, and some A&PS are eligible to serve as OSRI faculty mentors. A&PS must be on contract during OSRI and may receive a stipend as long as the work does not overlap with existing duties. 

Mentors are expected to provide structured guidance through regular weekly meetings, co-develop research goals, review progress, and support the student's learning experience. Mentors are also expected to write a recommendation letter, help prepare for the final symposium, and attend key program events where feasible. To participate in OSRI as a mentor, you must commit to weekly meetings with your student, co-develop a mentorship plan, provide guidance on their research, and attend the OSRI faculty orientation. You are also expected to engage in community-building events and be actively involved in reviewing your student's final presentation.

The OSRI Mentorship Expectation document outlines OSRI mentorship requirements and includes information about writing a strong mentorship plan. In addition to our core requirements across all disciplines, we ask mentors and mentees form a detailed mentorship plan suited to each student’s project. Close faculty mentorship is the core feature of the OSRI experience. This approach emphasizes the importance of intentional mentorship while affording flexibility to mentors and mentees working across disciplines to tailor their work together to a model that is appropriate to their context.

No, you do not need to be on campus for the entire summer. However, you must be available for regular meetings and maintain consistent communication with your student. We strongly encourage that mentors make every effort to be present for key OSRI events like the symposium.

The mentorship plan is a document co-written by the mentor and student as part of a student's OSRI application that details the student's research goals, the expectations for their work, meeting schedules, and the support the mentor will provide. This helps establish a clear framework for the research experience.

The OUR Faculty Committee will review mentorship plans using the rubric found in this mentorship expectations document and mentors and mentees are expected to follow the plan they have outlined and to be in close communication with one another regarding any necessary adjustments to the plan. Significant changes should be run by OSRI staff so we can ensure students have appropriate support.

• Relationship and Context: Describe how long and in what capacity you have known the student. Share insights into their qualifications and compare them to peers to emphasize their strengths.
• Research Potential and Readiness: Highlight the student’s maturity, enthusiasm for research, and areas for growth. Address their commitment and readiness for OSRI, including any concerns if applicable.
• Program Fit and Contributions: Explain how the student’s skills and goals align with OSRI’s mission. Discuss how they would benefit from the program and contribute to an inclusive, diverse research community. Provide specific examples of their academic performance, research aptitude, and leadership potential.
• Additional Considerations: Note any other factors the committee should consider.

• Focus on Initial Impressions: Highlight the student’s enthusiasm, curiosity, or any relevant traits demonstrated in your limited interactions.
• Draw from External Evidence: Reference their academic record, prior research experience, or accomplishments you’ve learned about through their application or colleagues.
• Acknowledge Potential: Emphasize their potential for success based on the strengths and qualities they’ve shown, even if you have not yet worked with them extensively.

Yes! Faculty from the humanities, social sciences, and arts are encouraged to mentor students supporting their own research. Faculty may mentor one student or several working on the same research opportunity. Each student must submit a separate proposal that outlines their specific role on the research project.

You may mentor up to three students as OSRI Fellows. However, you can also work with additional Affiliate Scholars, depending on your availability and capacity to support their learning effectively. Please note that the OSRI Fellowship is competitive and while you can apply to support multiple students in both faculty- and student-led research, some applicants will not be awarded fellowships.

Yes, students may work collaboratively as part of a research team. However, each student must have distinct responsibilities, and their individual contributions must be clearly articulated in the mentorship outline.

Attendance at the OSRI faculty orientation is required to ensure all mentors are familiar with program goals and mentorship expectations, and are aware of key program dates and logistics. Compensation for attending the orientation is included in the OSRI faculty stipend; additional funding is not provided, however lunch will be provided. The orientation will be held in May.

• Faculty are not required to be on campus during the Oberlin Summer Research Institute unless the research requires in-person supervision. However, regular communication with your student is expected throughout the summer, even if you are not physically on campus. 
• Mentors should be in Oberlin in order to attend the research symposium on July 23rd and July 24th, 2025. If you cannot attend for any reason, we ask that you discuss this with OSRI staff. 
• We also encourage mentors to attend shared meals and events like the opening BBQ when possible to help foster connections with the broader summer research community.

• Faculty mentors will receive a stipend for each mentee and have the opportunity to work closely with motivated students. This mentorship experience contributes to the development of the next generation of researchers and scholars and helps foster a culture of research excellence at Oberlin. 
• We know that time is a limited resource and we therefore encourage faculty to use a paid OSRI mentorship as an opportunity to get a head start on work with honors students or to bring students into your own research projects whenever possible.

Mentors of OSRI Fellows receive a stipend as compensation for their time and effort in supporting student research over the summer. Faculty mentors will receive $2,000 for mentoring the first student, plus $750 for a second mentee, and $500 for a third mentee.

Oberlin students not awarded an OSRI Scholarship but conducting faculty-mentored research projects and present for the entire OSRI duration may apply for OSRI Affiliate Research Scholar (OARS) status. OARS students participate fully in OSRI programming and adhere to the same expectations as OSRI Fellows but do not receive a stipend from OSRI. Similarly, OARS faculty mentors are not eligible for a stipend.

No, faculty receiving summer employment payment from another source are not eligible for an OSRI mentor stipend.

Undergraduate Research can help connect faculty with interested research students. Please complete this form to let us know more about your research opportunity. We will advertise your research opportunity in our newsletter and online and will encourage students to reach out to you directly to determine if they are a good fit for your project.