Having a faculty mentor is central to CUNY Baccalaureate’s philosophy and structure. Securing a faculty mentor is your responsibility. You need a faculty mentor for each area of concentration. If you are planning an interdisciplinary area, you will need a mentor from each discipline (e.g., for “Culinary Journalism,” you need a mentor in Culinary Arts and a mentor in Journalism). You must have a mentor and submit your official area of concentration form by the end of your first semester in the program (you do not need a mentor to apply to the program).

Mentors must be full-time faculty members at CUNY senior colleges (that is generally the rank of full, associate or assistant professor or lecturer), teaching in the same (or closely related) field as your area. You can maintain your relationships with adjunct and community college faculty, but they cannot serve as official mentors.

Finding a mentor

Students find their mentors in different ways. You can:

• ask a professor you like, from a class you are in now or one you’ve completed;
• ask your fellow classmates about faculty members with whom they have had positive experiences;
• reach out to relevant departments: speak to a department’s faculty advisor, chairperson, or program assistant for ideas;
• ask the Campus Coordinator at your college (or another CUNY college);
• research faculty members’ profiles (usually on department websites) to find out their areas of expertise.

And if one professor says they cannot do it, ask them for a referral.

It is important that your mentor be someone you find approachable and knowledgeable about your specific academic goals, someone who has the time to advise you and takes an interest in your studies. The mentor relationship that you build will be one of critical importance to your academic and career goals.

Close to 400 faculty members volunteer their time as mentors; new mentors are always welcomed. If you experience difficulty finding a mentor, consult your CUNY Baccalaureate academic advisor. If a faculty member expresses an interest but wants to know more, explain what you know, give him/her the handbook Partners in Learning that you received at your admissions interview or orientation, and direct him/her to the program website. He/she may also consult the Academic Director, Dr. Kim J. Hartswick (khartswick@gc.cuny.edu or 212.817.8222).