Abstract
In the beginning, “Mutual Mentoring” was little more than an idea, a hopeful vision of the future in which a new model of mentoring could serve as a medium to better support early-career and underrepresented faculty. Over time, Mutual Mentoring evolved from an innovative idea to an ambitious pilot program to a fully operational, campus-wide initiative. This article describes the conceptualization, design, implementation, and evaluation of a Mutual Mentoring initiative from 2006 to 2014. Findings indicate that faculty members who participated in this initiative were more likely to regard mentoring as a career-enhancing activity as well as to develop mutually beneficial mentoring relationships than were their non-participating peers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Austin, A. E., Sorcinelli, M. D., & McDaniels, M. (2007). Understanding new faculty: Background, aspirations, challenges and growth. In J. C. Smart & R. P. Perry (Eds.), The scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education: An evidence based perspective (pp. 39–92). New York, NY: Springer.
Blake-Beard, S. (1999). The costs of living as an outside within: An analysis of the mentoring relationships and career success of Black and White women in the corporate section. Journal of Career Development, 26, 21–36.
Bland, C. J., Taylor, A. L., Shollen, S. L., Weber-Main, A. M., & Mulcahy, P. A. (2009). Faculty success through mentoring. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield Education.
de Janasz, S. C., & Sullivan, S. E. (2004). Multiple mentoring in academe: Developing the professional network. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 64, 263–283.
Dobrow, S. R., Chandler, D. E., Murphy, W. M., & Kram, K. E. (2012). A review of developmental networks: Incorporating a mutuality perspective. Journal of Management, 38, 210–242.
Fink, L. D. (1984). The first year of college teaching. New directions for teaching and learning, 17. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Foote, K., & Solem, M. N. (2009). Toward better mentoring for early-career faculty: Results of a study of US geographers. International Journal for Academic Development, 14(1), 47–58.
Gibson, S. (2006). Mentoring of women faculty: The role of organizational politics and culture. Innovative Higher Education, 31, 63–79.
Girves, J. E., Zepeda, Y., & Gwathmey, J. K. (2005). Mentoring in a post-affirmative action world. Journal of Social Issues, 61, 449–479.
Higgins, M. C., & Kram, K. E. (2001). Reconceptualizing mentoring at work: A developmental network perspective. Academy of Management Review, 26, 264–288.
Johnson, W. B. (2007). On being a mentor: A guide for higher education faculty. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Menges, R. J. (1999). Faculty in new jobs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Ragins, B. R. (1999). Gender and mentoring relationships: A review and research agenda for the next decade. In G. N. Powell (Ed.), Handbook of gender and work (pp. 347–370). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Ragins, B. R., & Kram, K. E. (Eds.). (2007). The handbook of mentoring at work: Theory, research and practice. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Rice, R. E., Sorcinelli, M. D., & Austin, A. E. (2000). Heeding new voices: Academic careers for a new generation. New pathways inquiry no. 7. Washington, DC: American Association for Higher Education.
Sorcinelli, M. D. (1994). Effective approaches to new faculty development. Journal of Counseling and Development, 72, 474–479.
Sorcinelli, M.D. & Austin, A. (2013). The future of faculty development: Where are we going? In C.W. McKee (Ed.), The breadth of current faculty development practitioners’ perspectives. New Directions in Teaching and Learning, 133 pp. 85–97.
Sorcinelli, M. D., & Yun, J. H. (2007). From mentors to mentoring networks: Mentoring in the new academy. Change Magazine, 39(6), 58–61.
Sorcinelli, M. D., & Yun, J. (2011). Mutual Mentoring Guide. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Amherst. [Reprinted: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, 2011; Quality Education for Minorities Network, Washington, DC, 2011.]
Sorcinelli, M.D., & Yun, J.H. (2009, April). Finding a mentor. Advocate: Thriving in Academe, 26(5), 5–8.
Stanley, C., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005). Cross-race faculty mentoring. Change, 37(2), 44–50.
Trotman, C. A., & Brown, B. E. (2005). Faculty recruitment and retention: Concerns of early and mid-career faculty. Research Dialogue: TIAA-CREF Institute, 86, 1–10.
Trower, C. A. (2009). Towards a greater understanding of the tenure track for minorities. Change, 41(5), 38–46.
Trower, C. A. (2012). Success on the tenure track: Five keys to faculty job satisfaction. Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University Press.
van Emmerik, I. J. H. (2004). The more you can get the better: Mentoring constellations and intrinsic career success. Career Development International, 9, 578–594.
Wasburn, M. (2007). Mentoring women faculty: An instrumental case study of strategic collaboration. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 15, 57–72.
Yun, J., & Sorcinelli, M. D. (2009). When mentoring is the medium: Lessons learned from a faculty development initiative. To Improve the Academy, 27, 365–384.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yun, J.H., Baldi, B. & Sorcinelli, M.D. Mutual Mentoring for Early-Career and Underrepresented Faculty: Model, Research, and Practice. Innov High Educ 41, 441–451 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-016-9359-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-016-9359-6