A commitment to mentoring

Mentorship is a cornerstone of the Hertz community offered to Hertz Fellows at every career stage. During the first year of the fellowship, each Hertz Fellow is assigned a mentor (a senior interviewer) who they meet with annually throughout their doctoral training. These meetings provide the opportunity to share short and long-term career goals, solicit career advice and gather feedback to help navigate graduate school. Having an established mentor outside the primary research has proved to be an impactful part of the Hertz Fellowship.

Beyond graduate school, Hertz Fellows can request a mentor to support them through pivotal moments in their careers, such as transitioning from graduate school, pursuing leadership roles, shifting into new fields, writing a grant application or bringing innovations to market. These relationships connect Hertz Fellows with peers who have relevant expertise, enabling them to tap into the deep knowledge of our community and gain insight from someone who has navigated a similar path.

For Fellows exploring entrepreneurship, whether founding a company, joining one as a founding engineer or simply trying to understand the path, we also offer a network of experienced Fellows who give candid, as-needed advice. They include founders, investors and early startup employees, as well as Fellows who explored starting a company and chose a different path.