ABSTRACT
The following chapter articulates the ways in which mentoring can assist in the developmental process for minority students within the counseling program as they matriculate. The act of encouraging minority students through action such as mentoring can foster professional engagement, leadership, and service while being a catalyst for the development of a professional identity. Further, this chapter addresses the unique challenges that minority students face, such as navigating the academic culture, being one of a few persons of color within their program, and surviving the imposter syndrome. While some of these challenges are not solely unique to minority students, there is an inherent need to explore the developmental needs of this student group and the need for safe spaces in and outside of the program of study, as they are uniquely different than students from the dominant culture. Providing the space to name and validate their lived experiences within the academy is discussed in this chapter.
