CSA Graduate Student Mentoring Program

Dear St Croix Conference Attendees,

We hope that you are excited about our upcoming first in person CSA meeting since the pandemic!

At this year’s conference in St Croix, we are bringing back the CSA Graduate Student Mentoring Program! The goal of the program is to match up CSA ‘vets’ with younger scholars (not necessarily younger in age, but in CSA experience) so that newcomers may transition more easily into the CSA family.

The program starts off with a Graduate Student Reception on June 6, 2023 at the UVI Medical Simulation Center Cafeteria (UVI MSC Cafe) from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon. At the reception we will match up established CSA faculty and scholars (seasoned CSA members) with graduate student members of CSA (individuals working on Masters or Doctoral Degrees) at institutions from around the world.

For 10 minutes, each pair will meet separately and share information about themselves (university you teach/attend schools you, specialty research areas, how many years you have been a member of the CSA, what CSA means to you). Mentors will give advice on how mentees should utilise the conference and the organization as well as provide tips on how to network at CSA. After re-grouping, pairs will introduce each other to the larger group and give a 2-3 minute talk about what they learnt about their mentor/mentee. Throughout the week, the mentoring pairs will do check-ins at the various social events.

We hope that mentees can remain in contact with their mentors after the conference with their mentors to ask questions and get advice on how to conduct research specifically on the Caribbean or how to navigate graduate school as a Caribbeanist. We want newcomers/graduate students to build a relationship where they can have someone they can go to, to ask questions or for clarification during and after the conference.

We are soliciting seasoned (senior) CSA members to volunteer to be part of this important mentoring program. This will definitely be of great assistance for the next generation of Caribbeanist. It will be a great opportunity to have a young mentee who is likely interested in research areas you are an expert in to share advice. As a mentor, you will be providing a new scholar with your lifetime of experience doing Caribbean research.

Interested graduate students and CSA senior volunteer mentors are asked to sign up for the program ahead of your arrival to St Croix. Preparations are to be made for catering for the event. Early registration allows for better matching students (by research topic and interest) with a senior CSA member (by their research expertise).

Please click on the following Google Doc link. Sign up as either a mentor or mentee.

Please encourage others to do the same!

» https://forms.gle/TbLLkSc9mnHP5c8a8

Deadline for registration is Sunday 4th June, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.

Cheers,

The CSA Family