Recruiting Sponsors. IISME staff recruits
companies from various business sectors (high technology,
biotechnology, health care, finance, etc.) to serve as
host sites for IISME Fellows. Sponsor recruitment takes
place in January through May, at which time it is the
main focus of staff.
Various recruiting methods are used to recruit new
sponsors, the two most common being direct mail with
follow-up telephone calls and presentations before
industry trade associations and at professional society
meetings.
Number of Sponsors. In any given summer, there
are approximately 20 returning sponsors and 5 to 8 new
sponsors that are all hosting Fellows. The average
sponsor hosts three Fellows per summer, but some large
companies host as many as 15.
Responsibilities of Sponsors. Hosting sponsors
fund most of IISME's expenses, paying $8,600 per IISME
Summer Fellowship. Of that, $5,600 is a stipend earned by
Fellows and $800 covers employment costs (payroll, FICA,
worker's compensation). Sponsors agree to appoint a
coordinator who will work with IISME staff to identify
potential mentors and appropriate job assignments for the
Fellows, and who will make necessary hiring arrangements.
Coordinators also ensure that the hiring department is
ready for the Fellow's arrival, with a telephone line,
computer, desk, etc. set up in advance for the Fellow.
Sponsors pay Fellows for their time in attending IISME's
three required summer meetings, and some sponsors also
allow Fellows to periodically miss work to attend
optional tours or lectures at other sponsor companies.
Recruiting and Selecting Mentors. Coordinators
recruit mentors within sponsor companies via e-mail
announcements, staff meetings, company newsletters, etc.
Mentors can be managers from any functional area of the
company; they are necessarily scientists or engineers.
They are typically motivated to hire an IISME Fellow
because they have a project within their department they
need completed. Many mentors enjoy working with teachers
and return as mentors in subsequent summers.
Roles of Mentors. Mentors agree to allow IISME
Fellows to spend 10% of their fellowship (32 hours total)
in developing an Action Plan for Classroom Transfer,
which is due at the conclusion of the fellowship.
IISME does not require mentors to commit to any
specific support of Fellows during the summer. However,
because Fellows are working on projects identified by
their mentors, the mentors provide training and
supervision to their IISME Fellows as they would to other
employees.
Although it is not required, many mentors continue
their relationship with the Fellow during the academic
year, hosting field trips for students, visiting the
Fellow's classrooms, providing loaned or surplus
equipment, etc.
