What could a future dancer and a future physicist possibly have in common? Or an actor and a chemist? A painter and an engineer? Their upbringing, their fields of study, their workplace, and their life goals all seem as distant from each other as could possibly be.  However, the needs of undergraduate students seeking academic mentorship are almost identical, no matter their major. Despite their disparate content matter, art and STEM fields endorse the same methodologies for professional accomplishment and require almost identical support for young learners.  Regular study habits, advanced memorization techniques, active practice, and free experimentation are all key elements of development into successful and healthy artists and scientists.  When we as mentors talk about strategies for success for all students, we often touch on motivation, accountability, practice, and joy.  By opening up the conversation between art and science, both fields can learn more about how best to serve their students, ultimately increasing the impact of developmental relationships.  This presentation from a dance scholar and a STEM mentor will highlight key mentoring techniques in each field that reinforce and mirror each other for effective mentoring relationships.

Keywords: undergraduate STEM, mentorship, dance