Critical Approaches to Mentorship: Creating Access and Equity for Undergraduate Research Experiences

Mentorship is critical to the quality of high-impact practices, yet details about mentorship models for undergraduate research experiences at minority-serving institutions are limited and lack theoretical underpinnings. This practice briefly describes a project that utilizes antideficit and equity-minded mentorship approaches to engage historically minoritized and systemically underserved undergraduates in research at a large diverse state university. We call attention to the barriers to participation and suggest recommendations to address unequal access to undergraduate research experiences for minoritized students, including curricular integration, a peer mentorship model, and a participatory and student-led approach.