Assessment of a Large-Scale E-Mentoring Network for Women in Engineering and Science: Just How Good is MentorNet?

1 Carol B. Muller, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, MentorNet, c/o COE, SJSU, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192-0080 cbmuller@mentornet.net, 408924-4070 2 Sylvia J. Barsion, Ph.D., President, SJB Research Consulting, Inc., 240 East 55 Street, 7E, New York, NY 10022, dsbarsion@aol.com, 646-840-1217 Abstract  MentorNet (www.MentorNet.net), the ementoring network for women in engineering and science uses research and evaluation to inform program design and continuous quality improvement, and to assess preliminary outcomes. MentorNet has conducted year-end evaluations at the end of each program year since 1998. This paper provides a summary of the findings of data collected from student and professional participants in MentorNet’s Oneon-One mentoring program during the 2001-02 academic year. It also considers issues in measuring outcomes of mentoring programs.