RPI at Work Instructor Mentors live in two worlds as working professionals and educators. They operate within global industry as subject-matter experts and practitioners. Each translates that experience using the RPI Mentorship Model to guide graduate students through the completion of projects that address real-world business challenges. These Instructor Mentors are not “lecturers”. Rather, they occupy a supportive role as leaders in graduate education who establish trust through affiliation, mutual commitment, and advocacy.