You can get minions by writing a SPUR or URAP project for which highly qualified undergraduates will apply. Graduate students can be amazing mentors for undergraduates, and we often have more of a direct connection to their academic development since we work with them in smaller groups and as GSIs. The SPUR and URAP programs are designed to allow undergrads to get research experience. Officially faculty must be the main PI on the project, but usually you end up writing the project and your PI just submits it.

The students sign up for variable units and each unit is equivalent to 2-3 hours of work on the project per week.

SPUR and URAP students come with stipends of 500 dollars that are paid into the PI's account. These funds are purposed for expenses related to helping the undergraduates conduct the research (gas money for travel to research sites, equipment, travel to conferences, poster printing).

Undergraduates will also willing work with you to get experiences/references, but the units act as an incentive. URAP also offers a small number of summer stipends for undergrads who worked during the fall & spring semesters.

URAP likes faculty members (i.e., you, logged in as your PI) to post new projects every May for the following year, but they'll accept them through August.

http://research.berkeley.edu/urap/index.php