INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS, MENTORSHIP AND INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING

Abstract

This paper discusses the implementation of an intergenerational service-learning (IS-L) project with a mentorship component for graduate students at Western Michigan University's Gerontology Program. Two classes of students, one graduate and one undergraduate, taking introductory gerontology courses were brought together to complete IS-L projects of their own designs. Graduate students were asked to act as mentors to undergradute team members. To guide development of mentorship skills, eight Seifter and Economy (2001) teachable principles of good team management were used: (1) put power in the hands of the people doing the work; (2) encourage individual responsibility; (3) create clarity of roles; (4) share and rotate leadership; (5) foster horizontal teamwork; (6) learn to listen, learn to talk; (7) seek consensus; and, (8) dedicate passionately to your mission. While challenging, most of the graduate students found the process of developing mentorship skills personally insightful and valuable.