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A Mixed Data Analysis of Graduate Student Mentoring for Faculty Careers in School Psychology

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Abstract

Mentoring has been identified as an essential component in the development and success of future faculty. As such, the purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the mentoring experiences of graduate students enrolled in school psychology programs. Additionally, we wanted to determine if differences were present in the mentoring experiences of self-identified racial minority students and their White peers given the lack of diversity among school psychology faculty. Quantitative analyses indicated that students enrolled in school psychology programs are fairly satisfied with their mentoring experiences. However, respondents who completed the open-ended questions indicated that they had difficulty accessing their mentor, they wanted more mentoring on careers in academia, and that they desired more support for conducting research and teaching. Therefore, there are several aspects of mentoring that need to be improved if the field of school psychology wants to increase the number of students who will peruse a career in higher education.

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Correspondence to Scott L. Graves Jr.

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Graves, S.L., Newell, M., Harrell, F. et al. A Mixed Data Analysis of Graduate Student Mentoring for Faculty Careers in School Psychology. Contemp School Psychol 25, 99–108 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-019-00253-0

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