The M&M Program was established in 1995 as a platform for faculty and students interested in working together in either research or creative projects. The student member of a M&M Team conducts independent research and engages in a creative project which may either be independent of or related to the faculty member’s research or project agenda, which the faculty member serves as a mentor-collaborator.
M&M Projects are product-oriented faculty development opportunities; that is, they result in a tangible product for the faculty. In the past, mentee-students have published project results in academic or professional journals, given formal presentations at academic and scientific meetings, conducted presentations for groups or organizations external to the University, written analytical computer programs, or produced original pieces of art or held artistic exhibitions and workshops.
Student-mentees are asked to conduct at least one LEAD Program for the undergraduate population of the University during the spring semester focusing on their project.
Typically, M&M Projects last for one full academic year, starting in the fall and concluding toward the end of the spring semester. On occasion, projects have entailed preparatory work in the summer before the academic year in which they are scheduled. If such work is anticipated, it should be noted in the project proposal.
Projects are spurred primarily by faculty research and creative interests. There are few limitations on M&M Project possibilities. Previous mentor and mentee projects have been:
Individual student-mentees are eligible for stipends ranging from $500 (for single-semester projects) to $1000 (for two-semester projects). For projects with multiple mentees, stipends are divided equally among the participating number of students. A final presentation must be conducted and a tangible permanent record provided to the Committee for the University Library prior to payment of the stipend.
Only regular faculty members of William Woods University may serve as mentors for M&M Projects.
Students should possess those attributes and characteristics typically associated with success in scholarship and/or creative endeavor: e.g. persistence, maturity, intellectual capacity and honesty, independence, academic accomplishment, initiative, and the capacity to work in a collaborative setting.
Additionally, to be considered for participation in the M&M Program students must meet the following criteria:
While the Program involves a student-faculty relationship, its intent is to achieve a collaborative linage between the faculty member-mentor and the student-mentee in which both are involved in dimensions of a single project and are linked through a shared dependence upon the work of the other. Within this context, the faculty member-mentor serves as the principal investigator in a team setting. The student-mentee acts as a research assistant to the faculty member.
Visit with any of the faculty members who have participated in the Program over the years. A complete list can be found under “Project History.”
For specific inquiries, please contact Greg Smith or Jill Mahoney.
Interested students may also be able to visit with student-mentees who have participated or are now participating in the program. See Project History
Yes. Proposals for M&M Projects must be developed and submitted by prospective mentors, and are reviewed by a selection committee. The number of projects that may be authorized for any particular year will vary based on the number of applicants, the quality of applications, and the availability of financial support for projects.
There are two ways:
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