Mentors

Mentor Responsibilities

As an accredited program through the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE), we ask all potential mentors to provide evidence of their certification(s), credentials, and qualifications. Once screened and approved by the Practicum Coordinator, mentors are expected to:

• Familiarize yourself with the BSI program and Practicum structure.

• Provide at least 2 hours per week of mentoring/supervision, totaling 30 hours per semester.

• Support students in identifying opportunities to meet their remaining hour requirements (interpreting and observation).

• Encourage networking and professional engagement within the interpreting community.

• Complete both the mid-semester evaluation and final semester evaluation of your mentee by the assigned due dates.

Your mentorship plays a vital role in the development of emerging interpreters and contributes directly to the continued excellence and integrity of our accredited program.

Honorarium

Thank you for your dedication to mentoring our BSI students. We deeply appreciate the time, expertise, and professionalism you share to help shape the next generation of interpreters.

Honorarium Amount

• Mentors receive an honorarium of $600 per student upon completion of the Practicum semester.

• Payment is processed once both mid-semester and final evaluations have been received.

Administrative Details

• The Senior Staff Assistant manages practicum spreadsheets, hour tracking, and honorarium processing.

• If you are a new mentor or have not mentored in the past year, please submit a completed W-9 form to the Senior Staff Assistant.

• Returning mentors should verify that their mailing address is up to date.

• (Note: DAS interpreters are exempt from the W-9 requirement.)

Mentoring & Student Progress

• During the first week of classes, students identify semester goals in three key areas:

  1. Interpreting Skills

  2. Professional Demeanor

  3. Ethics

• Students complete a goal-setting worksheet with their mentor during the first three supervision meetings.

• Your feedback on these worksheets and your evaluations helps align student progress with course learning outcomes.

Supporting Student Hours & Pro Bono Assignments

The BSI program helps students fulfill their hour requirements through approved observation, interpreting, and pro bono experiences.  The Practicum Coordinator manages pro bono requests and will confirm whether an opportunity meets program requirements. We encourage students to discuss any potential pro bono assignments with their mentors before accepting them.  

Mentor Evaluations

• Mentors complete online evaluation forms twice per semester—mid-semester and finals week.

• Practicum instructors use these evaluations as a key component of the student’s course grade.

Professional Support

• Mentors are invited to join our workshop “Think Again: How Can Mentoring Support Lifelong Learning” and monthly consultation groups.

• You’re also welcome to schedule a meeting with the Practicum Coordinator for additional guidance or questions.

All mentor resources, forms, and documents are available throughout this website.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Mentors play a vital role in preparing the next generation of interpreters, and we’re committed to supporting your continued professional growth and recognition for your time and expertise.

Workshops

As a way of showing our gratitude, the BSI program periodically hosts mentoring-focused workshops where you can earn free CEUs. Invitations will be sent directly to all active mentors.

Independent Study Option

Mentors may also earn up to 2.0 CEUs (20 hours) through an Independent Study.
The BSI department will cover all processing costs for these CEUs.

To receive credit:

1. Complete the Independent Study form before your mentorship begins.

2. Email the completed form to both:

   • Kim Burns, Interpretek – kburns@interpretek.com

   • Practicum Coordinator – practicumcoordinator@rit.edu

Preparing for Practicum

Before your practicum student begins, please review the following materials and steps to ensure a smooth start to the semester:

• Watch the Orientation Video
  Review the recorded orientation video (conducted in ASL). For best viewing, open the video on a computer and switch to Gallery View. Refer to the image  provided for instructions on adjusting your view.

• Review Course Expectations
  Familiarize yourself with student expectations by reviewing the course syllabus and outline.

• Inform Key Individuals
  Let your supervisor, classroom instructors, Deaf students, and other key staff know that an interpreting student will be working with you this semester.
  Briefly explain the practicum student’s role and purpose in the setting.

• Schedule Weekly Supervision Meetings
  Establish a regular supervision schedule with your mentee. Students and mentors must meet for a minimum of 30 hours per semester (averaging 2 hours per week). Meetings may occur in one sitting or be divided into shorter sessions.
  Review the Tips for the Weekly Supervision Meetings for guidance.

• Explore Skill-Building Resources
  Visit the  Resources page for links to activities that can support interpreting skill development.

• Required Textbook
  The Interpreter’s Quick Guide to Self-Employment by Johnson and Bocian.

Getting Started with Your Mentee

As a mentor, you play an essential role in helping students transition from classroom learning to real-world interpreting environments. When your practicum student begins their placement, please take time to orient them to your site and set clear expectations for communication, professionalism, and collaboration.

The following steps can help ensure a smooth and productive start to the mentoring relationship:

• Introduce the practicum student to all key individuals at practicum site location and/or on assignment:  instructors, deaf students, secretaries, etc.

• Give the student a tour of the department and/or building (if applicable).

• Review departmental/school/site policies and procedures with the student.

• Discuss your expectations regarding attire and professional demeanor.

• Determine protocol for the following situations:

1. How should you contact the student if you will be absent?

2. What should the student do if the mentor is absent and a replacement interpreter is sent to the practicum site?

3. What should the student do if the mentor is absent and no replacement interpreter arrives?  

4. If asked, how should the student respond to a request to interpret the assignment?

5. How should the student contact you if they will be absent?

• When possible, arrange for the student to attend department meetings.

• Discuss in general the approach you take to interpreting in this setting.

• Obtain invitations for the student to observe other interpreters in your area.

• Assist the student in making arrangements to observe other interpreters.

• Review the student's practicum goals (these are developed in Seminar with instructor).

Mentoring

Effective mentoring creates a bridge between classroom learning and professional practice. As a mentor, your ongoing guidance, feedback, and modeling of professional behavior are vital to the student’s growth and confidence.

Below are suggested mentoring activities and responsibilities to help guide the practicum experience:

• Help the student determine which of your assignments are most appropriate to observe or team, referring them to the Protocol for Successful Observations on the Resource page.

• Observe the student’s interpreting (ASL–English and English–ASL) as often as possible and provide constructive feedback. The BSI program can provide prerecorded interpreting materials upon request.

• Share opportunities for engagement in Deaf community or interpreted events that may enhance cultural understanding.

• Check in periodically to ensure the student is working toward their practicum goals.

• Review activities weekly using the student’s Practicum Time Sheet and confirm progress toward hour requirements.

• Communicate concerns promptly to the Practicum Seminar Instructor or Practicum Coordinator so appropriate support and resources can be provided.

The Practicum Weekly Checklist is a helpful guide to support you throughout the semester as you work with your mentee. Use it to stay organized, track progress, and ensure key mentoring activities are completed.

Evaluation

Mentors
Mentors complete two evaluations of their mentee—one at Week 7 and another at Week 14. Please review each evaluation with your mentee before submitting it.

Once both evaluations have been received, the BSI program will process your honorarium payment.
A sample evaluation form is available here.

At the conclusion of the mentoring experience, we also ask mentors to complete a brief feedback survey about their overall experience:
👉 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jzRu-fynGW22VjQHSftizfgZgF-8yp_l6duyiYhDoTg/edit?usp=sharing 

Students
At the end of the semester, students must complete the following:

• BSI Student Evaluation of Mentor Form

• BSI Student Practicum Experience Feedback Form

A maximum of 2.0 RID independent study CEU's can be awarded for mentoring our students.  If you are interested in pursuing the process of completing an independent study through the approved CEU sponsor (Interpretek); ASLIE will cover the costs of the process.  Please contact the practicum coordinator directly for additional information at practicumcoordinator@rit.edu.  

For more information on independent studies through RID please visit: https://rid.org/continuing-education/earning-rid-ceus/independent-study-2/