Student and Mentor Expectations

As a SURF Fellow, you are expected to fully commit to the eight-week program from May 12–July 2.

During the program, fellows will:

• Work full-time (40 hours per week) on their research or creative project.
• Focus on their project while actively participating in the campus research community.
• Attend all required program dates and activities, including two weekly program meetings and the SURF Research Symposium on the final day.
• Be available for the entire program. Outside employment and summer coursework are not permitted due to the program's time commitment.
• Be prepared to share their work with the St. Mary's community during the following academic year and are encouraged to present at professional conferences or other scholarly venues when appropriate.
• Live in SURF housing whenever possible, follow all SMCM residence hall policies, and contribute to the cohort experience by participating in weekly social activities.
• Maintain a professional and collaborative relationship with their faculty mentor by communicating regularly, meeting deadlines, asking questions, being open to feedback, respectfully sharing ideas, and valuing their mentor's experience and guidance.

Support one SURF Fellow per summer. Only one application may be submitted per faculty mentor.

• Receive a $1,200 stipend for their mentorship.
• Maintain regular contact with their SURF Fellow throughout the program and provide guidance, feedback, and support as the project develops.
• Attend the weekly Wednesday lunchtime cohort meetings with all SURF Fellows and mentors. These research-in-progress meetings help students stay on track and share their work with the broader cohort.
• Remote or hybrid participation is not available.
• Disclose any planned absence of more than one week during the program. In such cases, a co-mentor must be identified and a shared mentoring plan must be provided to ensure continuous support for the student.
• Help students set realistic goals and make meaningful progress, recognizing that some projects may extend beyond the eight-week program period.
• Attend the SURF Research Symposium in July and assist their Fellow in preparing and presenting their work.

To encourage broad participation across the College, mentors may not supervise more than one SURF Fellow during a given summer.

Instead of submitting a traditional letter of recommendation, mentors must complete the SURF Recommendation Form available on the Applications page.

The recommendation form asks mentors to evaluate the student's academic performance, research potential, and proposed project. Because this is the only recommendation included in the student's SURF application, mentors should provide thoughtful and detailed responses.

As part of the recommendation, mentors must also submit a mentoring plan that outlines:

• How often they will meet with the student.
• Project goals and milestones throughout the eight-week program.
• Their commitment to providing direct, one-on-one mentorship.
• A shared understanding between the mentor and student of the project's goals and expectations.

If a mentor will be unavailable for more than one week during the program, the recommendation must include a co-mentoring plan. Both mentors must contribute to the recommendation, share mentoring responsibilities, and split the faculty stipend.

To complete a recommendation for your mentee, visit the Applications page on this website.