Graduate students and postdocs play a crucial role on Bass Connections teams, mentoring undergraduate students as well as fellow graduate students, providing direction to the team at key junctures and serving as role models.

Through the Bass Connections Award for Outstanding Mentorship, we invite the Bass Connections community to recognize graduate students and postdocs who have made tremendous contributions to the success of their team and positively shaped team members’ experiences.

Nominations for the Bass Connections Award for Outstanding Mentorship should be submitted using our nomination form by 5:00 p.m. on March 8.

An exemplary Bass Connections mentor is someone who:

• Promotes the success of project team members’ research and learning by monitoring progress and offering honest, constructive feedback
• Develops the internal community and working relationships of their project team, and identifies and addresses problems in a thoughtful, respectful manner
• Creates a supportive environment for research and scholarship by fostering mutual respect and demonstrating sincere interest in the well-being of students
• Maintains accessibility by providing open lines of communication
• Encourages interdisciplinary learning by helping other students create connections across disciplines
• Commits to advancing students’ professional development and connects students with information, resources or networks to support their individual growth
• Is a role model for others with a record of scholarship marked by excellence in research and teaching

Nomination Information

Any 2018-2019 Bass Connections team member (student or faculty) may nominate any graduate student or postdoc participating in a 2018-2019 Bass Connections project team. 

To submit a nomination, please complete the nomination form by 5:00 p.m. on March 8.

As part of the nomination form, you will be asked to provide a statement of support for the nominee and upload at least one statement of support from an undergraduate student. (If you, the nominator, are an undergraduate, then an additional student recommendation is optional).

Please note that individuals who have previously received this award are not eligible to receive it again.

Award Selection

The award recipient will receive a monetary prize. The selection committee for this award will be comprised of members of the Bass Connections Faculty and Student Advisory Councils and staff.

Winners will be contacted by March 29 and recognized at the Bass Connections Showcase on April 17 (3:30 to 6:00 p.m., Penn Pavilion).

Please contact Meghan O’Neil, Assistant Director, Bass Connections, at mmo12@duke.edu with any questions.

Learn More

• Read about last year’s mentorship award winners.
• Save the date for the Bass Connections Showcase on April 17.
• Check out our resources for graduate and postdoc mentors.