The Well's Mentors
Introducing the team of mentors who answer questions from graduate students, faculty, and professionals in The Well's Dear Mentor column

Dear Mentor: Advice for the Single Life
Dear Mentor: I see a lot of writing at The Well about balancing life with family and children, but I am single. This isn't my choice, but it is where I am. Do you have anything to say to me as a single woman?

Dear Mentor: Can a Christian couple choose to not have children?
Guest mentors answer questions about the decision to not have children.

Dear Mentor: Coping with grief during grad school?
How do I deal with the pressures of grad school while grieving the death of my mother?

Dear Mentor: Finding an advisor in the sciences?
What should I look for as I'm seeking an academic advisor for my PhD program in the sciences?

Dear Mentor: Have I missed my calling?
I believe God has given me intellectual gifts, but I have had a hard time settling into the right place to engage them.

Dear Mentor: How can I practice hospitality?
I'm a graduate student with limited resources. How can I be hospitable? Our mentors share their own experiences of hosting and what hospitality means to them.

Dear Mentor: How do I deal with a difficult advisor?
Dear Mentor: I am working with a very difficult advisor and wondering if I should leave my program.

Dear Mentor: How do I find a mentor?
This month we ask our mentors to think about mentoring itself — and help us go about finding one.

Dear Mentor: How do I get the support I need?
I'm really discouraged about finishing my Ph.D. How do I get the encouragement I need?

Dear Mentor: How do you handle dual careers and family?
How do I handle my own research work with a commuting spouse and family responsibilities?

Dear Mentor: How does one live well as a graduate student?
Our mentors respond with advice that helped them survive and thrive in grad school.

Dear Mentor: In academia, how open are you about your faith?
Do you, and how do you, speak about faith in the academy? How do you keep from compartmentalizing your life of faith from your life in the academy?

Dear Mentor: Is graduate school worth the effort?
The Well's mentors address this question from an overwhelmed graduate student.

Dear Mentor: Is it possible to have a family and an academic career?
I wonder if it's possible to be married, have children, and have a fulfilling academic career. What has been your experience?

Dear Mentor: Is there a place for Christians in the world of business and . . . ?
The Well's mentors consider the role Christians have to play in the world of business, art, architecture, science, and more.

Dear Mentor: More free time?
Do you have more free time as a professor than you did as a grad student?

Dear Mentor: On the job search, how can I market myself with humility?
How do I sell myself on the job market and still be the humble, loving person God calls me to be?

Dear Mentor: Shall I leave my PhD studies for the real world?
A PhD student who does not want to end up in academia considers whether she should leave her program.

Dear Mentor: Should I change my name?
I'm getting married and wondering whether to change my name. What should I consider professionally and personally?

Dear Mentor: Should I pursue a doctorate in the humanities?
ESN asked, "From a Christian perspective, why should anyone pursue a doctorate in the humanities?" Read Carmen Acevedo Butcher's response.

Dear Mentor: Should I take on a large debt for grad school?
Does God ever ask us to take on significant student loan debt to enter a graduate program?

Dear Mentor: Transparency in the Social Sciences
In social sciences, I'm often asked to explain the values motivating my research. How do I respond with the truth in an antagonistic setting?

Dear Mentor: What is the best way to handle negative feedback?
The Well's mentors discuss how to handle negative feedback on class evaluations and in other places.