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Over the past 15 years running an internship program, the CCSF Biotechnology Program, has come to recognize that an effective work-based relationship between interns and mentors is foundational to a successful internship.
So, in collaboration with UCSF, and through support from the National Science Foundation and the Genentech Foundation, we've built workshops to train over 500 UCSF researchers in Inclusive Research Mentoring (TRAIN-UP), and implemented changes to our Career Exploration and Internship Support courses to help students proactively manage-up and effectively navigate their working relationships with their internship mentors.
This has culminated in the creation of the UCSF-CCSF Inclusive Mentoring Fellows program (IMF) which was piloted for the first time in Spring 2020 and is built on a shared framework for interns and mentors to foster inclusive training experiences.
HI-TEC 2021 Presentation covering the basic tenants of CCSF-UCSF's work based learning training for community college students: Empowering Students to Recognize and Foster More Inclusive Workplaces.
Most Recent Resources: Building Inclusive Labs Website: 30+ Frameworks & Tools for Work-based Learning
Tools and overarching strategy for these trainings also outlined below:
Of these building blocks we've found that, Identifying & Clarifying Expectations and Obtaining & Systematically responding to regular, actionable feedback, are the most needed workplace navigational skills for our community college interns.
Below are examples & tools we share with CCSF Biotechnology students to help them develop these skills using a 4 step method:
EXAMPLES: Provide students examples of clear expectations & training plans and Roadmapping the expectations students need clarified to succeed
REFLECT & OUTLINE: Ask students to reflect on & outline their understanding of what expectations their mentor/supervisor has communicated
IDENTIFY GAPS: Using the examples and roadmap of what clear expectations should look like, students then identify what information they’re missing
OBTAIN CLARITY: Lastly students are given example language and tools to obtain clarity and put them into practice
examples
examples
An example of clear expectations which have been backward designed to include assessments, evaluation and training metrics (from our peer-reviewed JMBE publication The Supervisory Role of Life Science Research Faculty: The Missing Link to Diversifying the Academic Workforce?)
Expectation Backward Design - Clements et al 2020.pdfRoadmap of expectations students need clarified:
In an ideal situation, a student intern should be able to describe (with a reasonable level of detail):
1. Their work responsibilities on projects & specific tasks
2. Their performance milestones
3. The pace at which they are expected to achieve milestones
4. How & when will they be evaluated
5. Which decisions their supervisor/mentor wants them to make
6. How their supervisor/mentor wants them to make decisions
7. How & when their supervisor/mentor wants them to report issues or concerns
8. How and when their supervisor/mentor wants them to ask questions
9. How are they expected to handle a difficult situation/conflict
10. What are the logistics, policies, point people at their internship?
11. Boundaries and limitations - what are they NOT supposed to do?
Reflect & Outline
Reflect & Outline
Students are asked to outline their understanding of what is expected of them in regards to what is outlined in the example of clear expectations table, including:
Goals/Expectations - what they will be able to accomplish by the end of their internship
Evaluation - how their success on each expectation will be evaluated
Baseline Assessment - how their baseline knowledge/skills for a given expectation is being evaluated (before further teaching/training)
Teaching Strategy/Support - what teaching or support will they be provided to accomplish reach each goal/expectation
*To do this students are given a blank template of the expectations table (see clear expectations example provided above) to fill out
Identify Gaps
Identify Gaps
Any of the 11 points above that they cannot clearly articulate or any measure of the below assessment for which they choose 7 or below outlines areas for improved clarification.
AssessingYourMentorsHandout.pdfObtain Clarity
Obtain Clarity
Lastly students are given example language and tools to obtain clarity and put them into practice.
Understanding and Managing Expectations - CCSF UCSF NSF Collaboration.pdfInterested in providing these tools for your students?
Interested in providing these tools for your students?
The CCSF Biotechnology Program and UCSF Office of Career Planning & Development were awarded a new NSF ATE Project grant to improve and disseminate these tools and releated trainings: A Collaborative Approach to Work-Based Learning in Biotechnology: Building Inclusive Lab Environments. (DUE #2055309)
Please reach out to James Lewis (jlewis.ccsf@gmail.com) and Karen Leung (karen.leung@mail.ccsf.edu) to learn how you and your students can participate in (and help improve) these trainings for all community college students in work based learning experiences!
To see parallel designed tools for mentors:
HI-TEC 2020 Presentation: Engaging Industry: Promoting Equity, Access & Inclusivity for Increased Retention and Productivity
Above are Sample Materials - Editable versions available to members of our collaborative - Join Our Collaborative
Additional resources to be added from other colleges & organizations as they are shared with our collaborative.
funding provided by
funding provided by
for more information
for more information
James Lewis - Collaborative Organizer
Email: jlewis@ccsf.edu
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