News & Events
Mentor Minute – What is motivational interviewing and how can it improve student success?
September 10, 2023 - Motivational interviewing (MI) is a counseling technique that involves exploring students’ ambivalence towards positive changes and assisting them in overcoming their obstacles. Learn more about this topic.
Webinar Series - “They Helped Me Fill the Gaps”: Promoting First-Generation College Students’ Help-Seeking Attitudes and Behaviors
September 21, 2023 - In this talk, Dr. Hagler presented findings from his longitudinal, mixed methods research on first-generation college students’ transition to higher education. Based on the findings, Dr. Hagler presented actionable strategies by university stakeholders that can promote first-gen students’ help-seeking, including addressing stigma, leveraging near-peer mentoring, and improving awareness and accessibility of services. Learn more about this webinar.
Dr. Jean Rhodes receives the APA Urie Bronfenbrenner Award
August 29, 2023 - Co-founder, Dr. Jean Rhodes, receives the American Psychological Association Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society. Learn more about this topic.
Mentor Minute – Can chatbots improve student support? Yes, and no…
August 20, 2023 - AI is a useful tool for college-based chatbots and other forms of student support, but it has its limitations. It may be able to answer questions about campus parking, but It's much less effective at managing complex interpersonal interactions. Learn more about this topic.
Megyn Jasman’s article is highlighted in The Community Psychologist’s Summer Issue!
August 18, 2023 - We are so proud of our Director of Customer Success, Megyn! Asked about her article, "Research in Higher Education: Examining Ways to Support Students Through Mentoring", Megyn said "I am thankful for the opportunity to share my inspirations for my pivot to community-level prevention models, and further discovering innovative ways we can best support college students by leveraging technology, particularly among marginalized communities." Learn more about this topic.
Mentor Minute – Meta–analysis highlights the benefits of peer mentoring, but there’s a catch…
August 12, 2023 - Our research has shown that cross-age peer mentoring programs are significantly more effective than intergenerational mentoring. Learn more about this topic.
Webinar Series - Supporting College Students with Minoritized Identities Through Mentoring
August 10, 2023 - In this talk, Dr. Raposa shared findings from clinical science and community psychology that suggest ways we might leverage mentoring relationships to better support these youth, with a focus on innovative approaches to supporting youth using informal or naturally-occurring mentoring relationships. Learn more about this webinar.
MentorPRO Partners with COE for Innovative TRIO Career Development Program
July 25, 2023 - MentorPRO today announced a strategic partnership with the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE). The collaboration aims to enhance career opportunities for TRIO students through a dynamic new program, the TRIO Career Development Program. Learn more about this topic.
Mentor Minute – Meta–review shows how mentors can improve students’ engagement in mental health tools
July 23, 2023 - The MentorPRO research team’s systematic review of meta-analyses suggests the promise of mentor support in digital mental health interventions (e.g., HeadSpace). Learn more about this topic.
Scaling mental health services through technology-enhanced mentoring
June 6, 2023 - Jean Rhodes and Alex Werntz presented to the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's CBITs Digital Mental Health webinar. See the recording.
Webinar Series - Teaching Students to Recruit Mentors and Build Networks of Support
July 20, 2023 - This presentation, led by Dr. Sarah Schwartz, covered strategies to help college students to identify, recruit, and maintain relationships with mentors and to build networks of support. Learn more about this webinar.
Webinar Series - Scaling Mental Health Services through Technology-Enhanced Mentoring
June 6, 2023 - Drs. Rhodes and Werntz presented on recent history of the Center’s research on mentoring. They shared recent evidence on what makes peer mentoring effective, and described evidence from the initial trials of MentorPRO, a novel multi-sided technology platform for student success mentoring. Learn more about this webinar.
Mentor Minute – A peer-reviewed large-scale evaluation shows promising results for MentorPRO
June 1, 2023 - A customized version of MentorPRO (MentorHub NU) was provided to thousands of college students. Findings supported the acceptability and feasibility of the platform. Learn more about this topic.
Mentor Minute – Practice makes perfect: New meta-analysis highlights important role for peer mentors
May 28, 2023 - Chances are you’ve heard about the pedestrian on 57th Street who sees a musician getting out of a cab and asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Without pause, the musician replies “Practice.” Learn more about this topic.
Mentor Minute – Strong mentoring relationships are necessary… but not always sufficient
May 1, 2023 - Mentoring program effects are smaller than you think. Meta-analyses are showing that most mentoring programs produce small overall improvements, which have not budged in 20 years. Learn more about this topic.
Our Publications
A Longitudinal Investigation of First-Generation College Students’ Mentoring Relationships During Their Transition to Higher Education
Hagler, M. A., Christensen, K. M., & Rhodes, J. E. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice. (Jan, 2021)
First-generation college students are characterized as college students in which neither of their parents completed a Bachelor’s/4-year degree, increasing their risk for dropout and other undesirable educational outcomes. Mentoring relationships may provide first-generation students with support and social networks as they transition to college. Learn more about this paper.
Birds of a feather: Is matching based on shared interests and characteristics associated with longer youth mentoring relationships?
Raposa, E., Eli-Yahu, A., Olsho, L., & Rhodes, J. Journal of Community Psychology. (Mar, 2018)
Length of mentor-mentee match may influence mentee outcomes, some studies demonstrating negative consequences, suggesting the need for programs to find ways to increase the likelihood of long-lasting mentoring relationships. In response, this study investigates the influence of mentor-youth similarities on the duration of mentoring relationships. Learn more about this paper.
Cross-age peer mentoring for youth: A meta-analysis
Burton, S., Raposa, E.B., Poon, C.Y., Stams, G, & Rhodes, J. American Journal of Community Psychology. (Mar, 2021)
The study delves into the growing trend of cross-age peer mentoring programs, which leverage the availability of youth mentors to foster positive outcomes in their younger counterparts. The research employed a multilevel meta-analytic approach to gauge the efficacy of these programs and to identify potential factors that might influence their effectiveness. Learn more about this paper.
Deconstructing “Risk” in Youth Mentoring Programs: How Environmental Stressors and Presenting Challenges Shape Mentoring Relationship Outcomes
Deconstructing “Risk” in Youth Mentoring Programs: How Environmental Stressors and Presenting Challenges Shape Mentoring Relationship Outcomes Journal of Early Adolescence. (Sep, 2022)
This research explores the variability in challenges faced by youth referred to mentoring programs. The study aims to understand the patterns of these challenges and their implications for mentoring outcomes. Learn more about this paper.
Implementation of a technology-enhanced peer mentor referral system for first-year university students
Werntz, A., Jasman, M., Simeon, K., Gunasekaran, H., Yowell, C., & Rhodes, J. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science. (Mar, 2023)
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted college administrators to re-evaluate approaches to student support. The authors advocate for technology-enhanced mentoring to provide targeted peer support for young adults transitioning into their first year at college. Learn more about this paper.
Non-specific versus targeted approaches to youth mentoring: A follow-up meta-analysis.
Christensen, K., Hagler, M., Raposa, M., Stams, G. J., & Rhodes, J. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. (Feb, 2020)
The study delves into the effectiveness of youth mentoring programs, comparing non-specific, relationship-focused approaches to targeted, problem-specific interventions. Historically, mentoring programs have emphasized the importance of the mentor-mentee bond, suggesting that a strong relationship alone can foster positive developmental change. This research evaluates this presumption. Learn more about this paper.
Paraprofessional Youth Mentoring: A Framework for Integrating Youth Mentoring with Helping Institutions and Professions
McQuillin, S. D., Hagler, M. A., Werntz, A., & Rhodes, J. E. American Journal of Community Psychology. (Jan, 2021)
The article addresses the growing demand for child mental health services, which currently surpasses the supply. To bridge this gap, the authors propose a framework for paraprofessional youth mentors. Learn more about this paper.
Predictors of close faculty−student relationships and mentorship in higher education: Findings from the Gallup−Purdue Index
Raposa, E., Hagler, M., Liu, D., & Rhodes, J. E. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. (Mar, 2020)
Faculty-student relationships may promote students' development and academic success, particularly for first-generation college students and those attending larger institutions. This study investigates the factors that influence the formation of student college mentoring relationships. Learn more about this paper.
Providing Human Support for the Use of Digital Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Meta-Review
Werntz, A., Amado, S., Jasman, M., Ervin, A, & Rhodes, J. Journal of Medical Internet Research. (Mar, 2023)
Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) have demonstrated efficacy across various evaluations for improving mental health symptoms. However, user retention rates are low, minimizing DMHIs' full impact. In this paper, the authors aimed to evaluate the effects of providing human support for digital mental health intervention (DMHI) use. Learn more about this paper.
Role of athletic coach mentors in promoting youth academic success: Evidence from the Add Health national longitudinal study
Christensen, K., Raposa, E., Hagler, M., Erikson, L., & Rhodes, J. E. Applied Developmental Science. (Mar, 2019)
Many youth participate in organized sports, with many sports coaches becoming mentors to the young athletes. This research delves into the potential of athletic coaches as mentors in promoting academic success among youth. Learn more about this paper.
Striking the Balance: The Relative Benefits of Goal- and Youth-Focused Approaches to Youth Mentoring Relationships
Werntz, A., Poon, C. Y. S., & Rhodes, J. E. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. (Feb, 2023)
The study delves into the benefits of goal- and youth-focused approaches in youth mentoring relationships. While targeted, goal-focused mentoring has shown to improve behavioral and mental health outcomes compared to more recreational, non-specific approaches, it's essential to balance this with mentees' preferences. The research emphasizes the importance of considering the mentee's perspective in these relationships. Learn more about this paper.
Teaching to Fish: Impacts of a Social Capital Intervention for College Students
Schwartz, S., Parnes, M. Browne, R. Austin, L., Carreiro, M. Rhodes, J., Kupersmidt, J., Kanchewa, S. American Educational Research Journal. (Aug, 2023)
The study evaluates the impacts of a one-credit college course aimed at enhancing student help-seeking behaviors and social capital within a racially diverse college student sample. The course was designed to shift students' attitudes towards help-seeking and to foster their ability to identify, initiate, and maintain relationships with mentors and other sources of social capital. Learn more about this paper.
The Effects of Youth Mentoring Programs: A Meta-analysis of Outcome Studies
Raposa, E. B., Rhodes, J., Stams, G.J., Card, N., Burton, S., Schwartz, S., Sykes, L.Y., Kanchewa, S., Kupersmidt, J., & Hussain, S. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. (Jan, 2019)
Formal mentoring programs pair youth mentees with supportive adults to foster positive youth outcomes. While such programs can increase access to supportive services, more research is needed to fully understand its level of effectiveness, and what conditions make it most effective. Learn more about this paper.
The Long-Term Impact of Natural Mentoring Relationships: A Counterfactual Analysis
Hagler, M. A., & Rhodes, J. E. American Journal of Community Psychology. (Aug, 2018)
Overall, this article delves into the enduring effects of natural mentoring relationships on mentees. While previous research has shown that such relationships can lead to improved functioning across several domains, this study aims to understand the long-term impact of these relationships beyond early adulthood. Learn more about this paper.
Youth Initiated Mentoring: A Meta-analytic Study of a Hybrid Approach to Youth Mentoring
van Dam, L., Blom, D., Kara, E., Assink, M., Stams, G., Schwartz, S., & Rhodes, J. E. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. (Jan, 2021)
Youth-Initiated Mentoring (YIM) is a mentoring approach that empowers mentees to identify and recruit natural mentors within their existing social networks. This method aims to target the benefits of informal mentorships while maintaining the structure and support of formal mentoring programs. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between YIM programs and various mentees outcomes. Learn more about this paper.
Youth interventions with and without supervised practice: A second-order meta-analysis
Christensen, K., Assink, M., van Dam, L., and Stams, G. , Poon, Y.S., Astesano, J., & Rhodes, J. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. (Jan, 2020)
The study reviews the literature on supervised practice through a second-order meta-analysis, a method used to aggregate overall effects from previous meta-analyses. Supervised practice pairs behavioral rehearsal (practice of skills) with constructive and supportive feedback, enabling learners to enact new skills accurately and develop the motivation to consistently apply these skills. Learn more about this paper.
