Hybrid Mentoring with AI: Supporting International STEM Graduate Students in Career Planning

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Mentoring in International and Graduate Education

Abstract

Mentoring plays a critical role in graduate education, particularly for international students who represent a significant portion of the STEM pipeline. However, traditional career tools, such as the Individual Development Plan (IDP), often overlook their unique challenges. This study explores how generative AI can enhance mentoring support within the IDP framework. We developed and tested tailored AI prompts with 31 international STEM graduate students. Participants valued AI for personalized career planning, networking tips, native language support, and global job insights. Reported limitations included overly generic responses, inconsistent language performance, and limited cultural nuance. To provide better support, two hybrid human-AI mentoring models emerged: Sequential Integration for early-stage goal setting and career exploration and Concurrent Collaboration for addressing complex, high-stakes situations.

Authors

• Chi-Ning Chang, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Tzu-Wei Wang, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Jared P Grigg, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Margaret Gatongi, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Lindai Xie, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Obed Amoakoh Boateng, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Yaoying Xu, Virginia Commonwealth University

• John Fife, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Nichole Dorton, Virginia Commonwealth University