Beginning in August 2025, [YU?] transitioned from traditional mentoring to a micro-mentoring model—a dynamic, tiered approach to personal and professional development. Micro-mentoring provides targeted, short-term mentoring engagements designed to meet the evolving needs of emerging scholars across four pivotal life stages: high school, undergraduate, graduate/professional school, and early career.

Unlike conventional long-term mentoring, micro-mentoring focuses on specific goals and measurable outcomes through concise, high-impact interactions. These engagements can last from as little as few hours to a maximum of three months, offering the flexibility to support both immediate challenges and short-term growth objectives.

Through this model, participants strengthen their social-emotional competencies—including self-awareness, confidence, and personal accountability—while also advancing academic and professional development through practical, real-world skill-building.

How It Works: (1) Identify a Need: A mentee (with mentor or Director of Mentorship) recognizes a specific area for growth or support. (2) Match with a Micro-Mentor: A suitable micro-mentor is identified to address that need. (3) Define the Engagement: The micro-mentor determines the length and structure of the micro-mentoring engagement cycle—ranging from a series of single 30-minute weekly, biweekly or monthly session(s) within a 3-month term cycle. (4) Deliverable and Reflection: By the end of the micro-mentoring cycle, the mentee—guided by the micro-mentor—creates a tangible deliverable or outcome that demonstrates the progress made and the need effectively met.