Sofia Martinez
Carleton University
Sophia Martinez was an Undergraduate student at Carleton University and a member of the 2025 mentorship program.
Mentorship Program 2025 Testimonial
Sophia kindly shared her perspective on the mentorship program and highlighted the benefit that her participation had on her academic and professional development.
Can you tell me a little bit about your experience in the mentorship program?
In my final year of my undergraduate degree, I took a course with Dr. Jeff Sahadeo, titled The International Impacts of Russia’s war on Ukraine. This course allowed us to explore the wide-ranging geopolitical and social effects of the war and pursue topics that interested us most. I focused on the Baltic’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Landmine Treaty and the implications this development held for Canada and its role as a member of NATO. Professor Sahadeo encouraged me to expand this work into a policy memo through the mentorship program. This experience allowed me to combine my academic interests of politics and law, to create a concise policy memo.
What was the process of working with your mentor like? How did your relationship aid in the drafting of your policy memo?
My mentor, Dr. Jeff Sahadeo, was incredibly helpful in supplying constant feedback on my research both through editing online drafts and providing academic advice during in-person meetings. He also created several opportunities for students in the program to meet and exchange ideas about our policy memos.
How has this experience changed the way that you think of academic work?
This experience showed me that academic writing doesn’t have to be intimidating. It provided me with not only a helpful mentor but also thorough, insightful editors and a supportive community of students to work alongside.
How important was the mentorship program to you and your development as a young scholar?
This project gave me an insight into the world of academic writing. It allowed me to explore my interests, combining legal and political research. I hope to apply the knowledge I have gained from the mentorship program to contribute to academia in my future legal studies.
What would you like future generations of young scholars enrolled in the mentorship program to know?
The mentorship program is a great way to learn more about academic writing. It gives students the opportunity to turn research interests into published work with a supportive academic community working alongside you.