Mentoring

Effective mentoring supports an individual’s professional and personal development, sense of belonging, and productivity to the benefit of both the individual and the institution. Penn State strives to create a culture where mentoring is considered essential to both individual and institutional success, and effective mentorship is considered a hallmark of successful, well-functioning academic units. All faculty members, students, staff, and administrators at the University should have the opportunity to access a range of mentoring experiences that are intentionally designed to support individuals’ growth and development throughout their careers.

A central tenet of mentorship at Penn State is that all mentoring relationships and programs will be culturally responsive and value the identity, experiences, and needs of the mentee.

Mentorship is a professional working alliance in which individuals work together over time to support and guide the professional and personal growth, development, and success of the relational partners. Through the provision of career and personalized support, experiences, and resources, effective mentorship can advance the holistic development of scholars, educators, researchers, artists, and professionals.

Mentorship structures can take many forms, from organically developed relationships to formally structured programs, and may include coaching, sponsorship, or more. In recognition that individual mentors bring different strengths and areas of expertise, experiences with multiple mentors and mentorship structures (groups, networks, etc.) that extend beyond the traditional dyad form of mentorship situated within a unit are valuable components of a thriving culture of mentorship.

Effective mentorship based on evidence-based practices has the potential to foster a supportive and inclusive environment in which the diverse membership of the University community can grow and thrive, thus shaping the future of the University in positive and innovative directions (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2017a, 2018a, 2018b; National Research Council [NRC], 2010, 2013, 2015). To build a culture of effective mentorship at Penn State, efforts are needed in a series of key areas.

Career Guidance

Mentor provides support for assessing and choosing an academic and career path by evaluating mentee’s strengths, weaknesses, interests, and abilities. Mentoring roles include:

• helping mentee reflect and think critically about goals (2);
• facilitating mentee’s reflection on and exploration of their interests, abilities, beliefs, and ideas (3);
• reviewing mentees’ progress toward goals;
• challenging mentee’s decisions or avoidance of decisions (4); and
• helping mentee to realize their professional aspirations.

Skill Development

Mentor educates, evaluates, and challenges mentee academically and professionally; tutors or provides training; and focuses on subject learning (6)

Sponsorship

Mentor publicly acknowledges the achievements of the mentee and advocates for the mentee.

Holistic Support

Mentor encourages mentee, helps with problem-solving, uses active-listening techniques (1)

Role Modeling

• Mentor serves as a guide for mentee’s behavior, values, attitudes
• Mentee benefits from engaging with mentor who share values and deep-level similarity with them (7)
• Allows mentees to see themselves as future academics

NOTES: 1 Brunsma et al. (2017), Cohen (1995), Kram (1983), Levinson et al. (1978), Miller (2002), Roberts (2000), Schockett & Haring-Hidore (1985); 2 Cohen (1995); 3 Roberts (2010); 4 Cohen (1995); 5 Levinson et al. (1978); 6 Kram (1983), Schockett & Haring-Hidore (1985); 7 Davidson & Foster-Johnson (2001), Eby et al. (2012), Hernandez et al. (2017) Syed et al. (2011); 8 Syed et al. (2011). SOURCES: (Crisp and Cruz, 2009; Gershenfeld, 2014; Nora and Crisp, 2007)