Mentorship Program
Overview
The mentorship program provides select students the opportunity for concentrated research or project development in a specialized field under the leadership and direction of research mentors. Mentors are experienced scientists, engineers, and other professionals in scientific and technological businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies, in the D.C. metropolitan area. The mentorship process permits students to test their interests and apply their knowledge and aptitude in a real-life setting, working with professionals who have chosen to share their insights and expertise. Students become stronger, more confident, self sufficient, and creatively productive as they apply their critical thinking skills in solving relevant and stimulating problems.
The Mentorship Program at TJ was created to offer an alternative way to meet the senior technology research graduation requirement, and is supervised through each of the school’s science and technology laboratories and coordinated by the school’s Mentorship Program Director. Mentorship students work alongside mentors from outside agencies and report back to their school Laboratory Director. The program holds the same project requirements and academic goals as in-school laboratory research work.
Candidates
Candidates applying for mentorships are mature, conscientious, and willing to make a commitment to the program and to accept the challenges and responsibilities that go with this opportunity. Mentorship students have a solid background in mathematics, science and technology. All have completed at least three years of science, including biology, chemistry and physics, and all have completed – or are currently enrolled in - calculus. All students have taken introductory technology and computer science classes and most have had several laboratory experiences. All are familiar with laboratory routines and use of associated equipment, computers in particular.
Arrangements
A mentorship generally lasts one semester and may begin the summer preceding the student’s senior year. During the school year, students are released early on designated days to work at their mentorship sites until business closing hours. They work ten to fifteen hours per week and complete at least 180 hours over an academic semester.
They are typically not paid for the time spent at the mentorship site. Firms may choose to assist with transportation costs and parking fees. Students arrange their own transportation.
Projects
Students are matched with mentors based on their mutual scientific and technological interests and the goals of the TJHSST laboratories. Students, mentors and TJ Laboratory Directors then work together to determine specific projects, which are developed around the on-going research of mentoring firms. Students are usually assigned a portion of a mentor's project and held responsible for its development. Mentors work with TJ Laboratory Directors to assist students in producing a calendar of goals and periodic deadlines for project completion. The Mentorship Program Director serves as a liaison between the school and the mentorship firms and works with the TJ Laboratory Directors in the selection, placement, follow-up and supervision of the students.
Recent Mentorship Program Participants
Aeronautical Systems Inc.
ARCTECH, Inc.
Booz Allen Hamilton
CH2M HILL
Children's National Medical Center
ENSCO, Inc.
Fuzbien Technology Institute, Inc.
Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institute of Washington
George Mason University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University Medical Center
Here Design
KoolSpan Inc.
Krasnow Institute, GMU
Lavigne Architects
Lockheed Martin Corp.
Metron Scientific Solutions
MITRE Corp.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
NASM Center for Earth and Planetary Science
National Institutes of Health
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Naval Medical Research Center
Naval Surface Warfare Center
New Road Partners
Northrop Grumman
Raytheon
SIGOVS
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution Laboratories of Analytical Biology
Sprague Technology Center
The Aerospace Corporation
The Catholic University of America
The Fairfax Network-Digital Media Production
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
University of Maryland, College Park
Vehicle Control Technologies, Inc.
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
ZGS Communications, Holaciudad
Contact
Matthew Pearce, Mentorship Program Director
Email: mrpearce@fcps.edu
Phone: 703.750.8392