The Entering Mentoring training is an evidence-based, interactive approach to becoming an effective mentor.

 

The Graduate School offers mentorship training to all faculty who serve as mentors to graduate students, honors college students and postdoctoral scholars. This training is made possible with support from the Provost's Office.

The mentorship training is based on the work done by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) at the University of Wisconsin. The Entering Mentoring curriculum accelerates the process of becoming an effective mentor by introducing a mentorship framework and providing opportunities to experiment with different methods of mentoring. The training allows new and experienced mentors to benefit from each other’s perspectives as well as extended time for reflection on fundamental principles of mentoring. By the conclusion of training, mentors will be able to articulate a personal style and philosophy of mentoring and develop a set of strategies they can use to engage with challenging mentoring situations.

Mentors will learn to:

  • Align expectation
  • Address equity and inclusion
  • Articulate a mentoring philosophy and plan
  • Assess understanding
  • Cultivate ethical behavior
  • Enhance work-life integration
  • Foster independence
  • Maintain effective communication
  • Promote mentee research self-efficacy
  • Promote professional development

 

Program Requirements

Faculty who wish to earn a Badge of Completion must complete workshop one and workshop two, plus two elective workshops. The digital badge can be added to the trained mentor’s personal website or in an email signature. Upon completion of the required training, faculty can request a Badge of Completion by contacting Maureen Childers ([email protected]).

Faculty members may take the workshops without earning the badge of completion, but we encourage faculty to complete the full program.

 

Workshop One - Introduction to Mentorship Training and Maintaining Effective Communication

(Two hours)

Introduction to Mentorship Training

Mentors will:

  • Learn about other mentors in the group to begin building a learning community
  • Reflect on group dynamics and ways to make the group functional
  • Establish ground rules for participation
  • Prepare to establish effective mentoring relationships with mentees

 

Maintaining Effective Communication

Mentors will have the knowledge and skills to:

  • Provide constructive feedback
  • Use multiple strategies for improving communication (in person, at a distance, across multiple mentees, and within appropriate personal boundaries)
  • Engage in active listening
  • Communicate effectively across diverse dimensions, including varied backgrounds, disciplines, ethnicities, and positions of power

 

Workshop Two - Aligning Expectations and Fostering Independence

(Two hours)

Aligning Expectations

Mentors will have the knowledge and skills to:

  • Design and communicate clear goals for the mentee
  • Listen to and consider the expectations of their mentee in the mentoring relationship
  • Consider how personal and professional differences may impact expectations
  • Clearly communicate expectations for the mentoring relationship
  • Align mentee and mentor expectations

 

Fostering Independence

Mentors will have the knowledge and skills to:

  • Define independence, its core elements, and how those elements change over the course of a mentoring relationship
  • Employ various strategies to build their mentees confidence, establish trust, and foster independence
  • Create an environment in which mentees can achieve goals

 

Elective Workshops - Select Two for Badge of Completion

(One hour each)

  • Cultivating Ethical Behavior
  • Articulating your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan
  • Assessing Understanding
  • Promoting Professional Development
  • Addressing Equity and Inclusion

 

Workshops and Electives Registration 2022–23

 

REGISTER

 

Fall term

  • Workshop 1 - Oct. 14, 10 to noon, in-person

  • Workshop 1 - Oct. 20, 1 to 3 p.m., Zoom

  • Promoting Professional Development - Nov. 4, 9 to 10 a.m., in-person

  • Addressing Equity and Inclusion - Nov. 16, 3 to 4 p.m., in-person

 

Winter term

  • Workshop 1 - Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m., in-person

  • FULL - Fostering Well Being - Jan. 30, 10 to 11 a.m., in-person

  • FULL - Workshop 2 - Feb. 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Zoom

  • FULL - Promoting Professional Development - March 8, 3 to 4 p.m., Zoom

 

Spring term

  • Fostering Well Being - April 19, 11 a.m. to noon, in-person

  • FULL - Workshop 2 - April 28, 9 to 11 a.m., in-person

  • FULL - Workshop 1 - May 4, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in-person

  • FULL - Addressing Equity and Inclusion - May 8, 1 to 2 p.m., Zoom

 

Unit leaders can request a workshop for faculty.

Request a Workshop