Mentoring

APPAM Mentor Match Program

The APPAM Mentoring program connects professional members with students and young professionals as they begin their careers in public policy and public management research. Since APPAM began hosting mentoring activities in 2016, we have provided hundreds of emerging scholars with the opportunity to learn from accomplished professionals.

For mentors, it’s a chance to play a key role in the field’s future. Whether encouraging connections online, at the Fall Research Conference, or through a Speed Mentoring event, APPAM is dedicated to providing mentorship opportunities to our diverse membership.

Explore Mentoring

Mentor Matching Program

Each fall, APPAM facilitates matches between mentors and mentees based on shared preferences and encourages initial virtual contact. But this is just a starting point, with the pace determined by the mentor-mentee pair. We hope these relationships will serve both mentors and mentees over the year and beyond. In many cases, APPAM’s Mentor Matching

Program has led to connections that last throughout a career.
Mentees must be active APPAM student members, but membership is not required for professional or retired mentors.

Please see below for more information, including instructions for Mentors and Mentees, as well as tips to make the most of these relationships. It is possible to participate in the Mentor Matching Program as well as Speed Mentoring, which is a separate event.

Speed Mentoring

Speed Mentoring is a 90-minute in-person event that will give participants the opportunity to gain insights, expand their networks, and navigate their careers in public policy and management in a fast-paced format. This is a separate event from the APPAM Mentoring program and takes place at the Fall Research Conference.

Mentees can be students and young professionals. Mentors will be assigned a certain topic for discussion, and three to four students will sit at a table with a mentor. Each round is 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, a bell will ring, and mentees move to their next topic of interest. We hope that Mentors attending the conference will participate in this activity, but it is not required.

New in 2026! We will offer 25 mentors who participate in mentor matching and commit to participating in the Speed Mentoring event a 50% discount on conference registration.

  • Must be an APPAM member to be eligible. Priority will be given to APPAM members who have consistently participated as mentors in the past.
  • The 25 mentors will be selected to serve based on expertise for the table topics covered at the Speed Mentoring event.
  • Mentor Participation will be confirmed by Friday, July 17, and if you are selected for the registration discount, we will reach out separately.

Super Mentors

As a new enhancement to the APPAM Mentoring Programs, the Super Mentors program will feature four mentors with rich and varied experience in academia, government, and the private or nonprofit sectors. Each Super Mentor will bring a distinct area of expertise and will be responsible for delivering structured monthly programming.

Together, these Super Mentors will:

  • Lead monthly virtual meetups
  • Develop virtual resources (webinars and handouts) to support scholars focusing on professional development, career paths, life and professional skills, and other valuable information that students need to enter the job market confidently.
  • Help organize the Speed Mentoring event at the Fall Research Conference.
  • Train mentors participating in the Mentor Matching Program on how to deliver professional development training most effectively for

Current Super Mentors:

Jason Coupet 
Georgia State University, Andrew Young School for Policy Studies

Jenni Owen (Advisor)
Duke, Sanford School of Public Policy

Quentin Riser
University of Wisconsin, Madison, School of Human Ecology

Matthew Stagner
NORC at the University of Chicago

 Shelly Ver Ploeg 
National Center for Food & Agricultural Policy

Getting Started with Mentoring

The mentor/mentee relationship can be structured in whatever way best suits your needs and your mentor’s skills. As a mentee, please have an idea of what you want to gain from this program when you initially connect with your mentor. Here are some ideas to get you started, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.

  • Job Document Review: Resume, teaching statement, lesson planning, and career/goal setting
  • Research Guidance: Offers feedback on current research, identifies possible collaborators or datasets, reviews research strategies/statements/questions
  • Overall Professional Development: Provide information on career options, interviewing tips, teaching strategies, and overall long-term career planning
  • Fellowship Application Assistance: Assistance with preparing fellowship applications, budget, proposal, meeting requirements, and managing deadlines

Mentors

  • Look out for APPAM’s Call for Mentors in May
  • Apply to be a mentor by filling out the form and indicating your preferences
  • Wait for APPAM to match you with a mentee by the end of September
  • Expect to hear from your mentee in the week after they receive you as their match
  • We encourage you to find a time to connect—virtually or in person—with your mentee shortly after hearing from them to discuss goals and expectations for the relationship. See more tips below!
  • Find time to meet with your mentee in person at the APPAM Fall Research Conference. (Optional, depending on conference attendance)
  • Take the program survey to help us continuously improve the Mentor Matching experience
  • Continue supporting your mentee throughout the year and beyond! There are no time limits on this program, and we hope it fosters long-term mentorship.

Mentees

  • Apply to the program by filling out the form and using the Airtable to indicate your mentor preferences.
  • Once you’ve been matched, reach out to your mentor within a week to establish contact and find a time to meet.
  • Meet with your mentor virtually or in person throughout the fall.
  • If you’re both attending the Fall Research Conference, find a time to meet in person. (Optional)
  • Take the program survey to help us continuously improve the Mentor Matching experience.
  • Stay in touch with your mentor and continue building on your mentorship!

Application for Mentors is Now Closed.

Application for Mentees Deadline: Friday, September 4

Apply Now

Spencer Foundation Education Research Mentee Grant

APPAM, with the support of the Spencer Foundation, will support tenmentees from underrepresented backgrounds and institutions conducting quantitative research in education. Selected mentees receive financial support to attend the 2026 APPAM Fall Research Conference. Students not selected for the grant can still participate in Mentor Matching.

What mentees receive:

  • Financial support for travel to the Fall Research Conference
  • Speed Mentoring sessions and access to the Mentoring Lounge
  • Networking and professional development events, including Career Fair programming
  • Full access to 400+ conference sessions and special events
  • Student registration for the conference

Applications are now closed. Please contact Michelle Avaroma at [email protected] with any questions.

Early Career Professional Mentoring

Interested in receiving a mentor as an Early Career Professional? The Early Career Professional APPAM Community will be organizing matches for interested participants. APPAM members can join the APPAM Early Career Professional Community to learn more!

Additional Information, Helpful Tips & Guidelines

For Mentors and Mentees:

  • Establish goals for the mentoring relationship early on.
  • Maintain confidentiality to build trust and open communication.
  • Be flexible, as career paths and interests may evolve during the mentorship.
  • Schedule regular check-ins, whether monthly or quarterly, to maintain momentum.
  • Acknowledge the end of the formal mentoring period and discuss potential continued communication.
  • Leverage APPAM resources and use APPAM conferences to workshop collaborative research.
  • Explore special issue opportunities in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.
  • Connect with other mentor-mentee pairs working on similar topics for broader collaboration.

Mentors

  • Set clear expectations at the beginning about communication frequency, preferred methods, and availability
  • Ask thoughtful questions about your mentee’s career goals, research interests, and specific challenges they’re facing
  • Share your own journey, including obstacles you’ve overcome, and lessons learned along the way
  • Provide constructive feedback on your mentee’s work, presentations, or career decisions when appropriate
  • Connect your mentee with relevant professional contacts in your network who might help advance their goals
  • Be patient and encouraging, recognizing that professional development takes time

Mentees

  • Come prepared to meetings with specific questions or topics you’d like to discuss
  • Be respectful of your mentor’s time by being punctual and focused during your interactions
  • Follow through on the suggestions or resources your mentor provides
  • Share your progress and how you’ve implemented advice, which helps mentors see their impact
  • Take initiative in scheduling meetings and maintaining communication
  • Express gratitude for your mentor’s guidance and support