On Thursday, April 10th, we kicked off our ViCom Mentoring Program at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften Bad Homburg.
The workshop was led by Jan van de Vyvern and focused on building relationships with mentors, identifying obstacles in their academic journey, discussing work-life balance, and exploring strategies for managing stress.
Jan van de Vyvern began by spending considerable time getting to know each participant personally. He inquired about their choice of mentor and their expectations of a mentoring relationship. Participants shared their motivations and aspirations, as well as the challenges they faced on their doctoral journey and their concerns about the future.
At the end of the workshop, a Q&A session with Susan Goldin-Meadow gave participants the opportunity to learn from her experiences and insights. They asked questions about her career path, early career challenges, and strategies for balancing work and personal life.
The event provided a valuable platform for graduate students to explore mentorship, work-life balance, and stress management. Through introspection, discussion, and learning from experienced professionals, participants gained valuable insights to navigate their academic journeys with resilience and purpose.