What I think is unnatural is the situation where the student is being paid, and where the mentor has a formal responsibility for the student and acts as the person who ranks the student and thus decides upon their salary (fail the student -> no money).
In a normal situation, new contributors show up and are self-motivated, and receive guidance from others so that over time they become equals. The mentor's role is spread among several people, and it is informal and temporary.
There is no money involved.
Many (not all!) GSoC students do not experience what the normal situation in open source feels like.
I am happy that your student is an open source enthusiast and got a job in open source. That is great.
I have seen this kind of good experience, but also more disappointing ones. In one case, a student simply disappeared after the first payment (in the middle of the summer) had been issued.
In a normal situation, new contributors show up and are self-motivated, and receive guidance from others so that over time they become equals. The mentor's role is spread among several people, and it is informal and temporary. There is no money involved.
Many (not all!) GSoC students do not experience what the normal situation in open source feels like.
I am happy that your student is an open source enthusiast and got a job in open source. That is great.
I have seen this kind of good experience, but also more disappointing ones. In one case, a student simply disappeared after the first payment (in the middle of the summer) had been issued.