Relationship Matters: Duo-narrating a Graduate Student/Supervisor Journey

Abstract

The student/supervisor relationship may be one of the most important aspects of graduate student success; yet, few academics receive any training in student supervision. Students may not know what qualities and capacities to consider when choosing a supervisor. The purpose of this paper is to duo-narrate the story of our experiences with a Social Justice and Equity Studies master’s thesis project at a Canadian University focusing on student/supervisor relationship-building. In this collaborative endeavor we share stories of our experiences in an effort to communicate the centrality of “relationship” in the student/supervisor collaboration. We provide personal and literature-based insights into graduate supervision, including lessons learned and advice(s) for both faculty and students about: 1) relationship matters; 2) the value of communication; and 3) the importance of culture and context.