Lessons From the Field: Graduate Student–Faculty Mentoring in Family Science

Abstract

Objective: We examine research related to effective mentoring relationships for graduate students. Background: Graduate mentoring, comprising educational, professional, and psychosocial development, plays a crucial role in graduate students' successful completion of their degrees. Effective mentor relationships can increase academic satisfaction, increase retention, keep graduate students on time to graduate, and have positive influences on future career goals. Methods: We conducted a literature review of 14 articles to examine graduate mentoring and make recommendations for family science graduate education. Results: Five major themes emerged: aspects of effective mentorships, choosing a mentor, characteristics of a successful mentor, diverse graduate students, and online mentoring. Conclusions: We discuss future research suggestions including the need for research on discipline-specific mentoring and the call for more writings on the scholarship of teaching and learning. Implications: These findings have implications for family science as organizations create

Bridge Building in Higher Education: Multi-Modal Mentoring Programs to Support Retention & Career Preparedness

“…To further foster confidence in their abilities, mentors should allow mentees to lead early mentoring meetings. Almond et al (2021) conducted a study of online graduate students in Family Science programs and noted several elements of effective mentoring. These include the characteristics of a successful mentor, the selection of a mentor, diversity of graduate students, and online mentoring, choosing a mentor, characteristics of a successful mentor, diverse graduate students, and online mentoring.…”

“…The primary goal of graduate student-faculty mentor relationship is often seen to be the achievement of academic goals on the part of the mentee. However, faculty can also assist students by guiding them into the academic community and introducing them to their own professional networks (Green, Ammah, Butler-Byrd, Brandon, & McIntosh, 2017;Almond et al, 2021). Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of mentoring programs, either faculty-to-student or student-to-student (Nora & Crisp, 2007;Brunsma, Embrick, & Shin, 2017;Black, 2017;Baranik et al, 2017;Kutsyuruba & Godden, 2019;Almond et al, 2021;AuCoin & Wright, 2021); however, there is little agreement on a definition for mentoring, let alone straightforward best practices for institutions to adopt for e-mentoring adult learners.…”

Forming mentoring relationships in graduate education: The role of personality

“…While some advising relationships develop into mentoring relationships, most mentoring between students and faculty develops informally, and not as the result of an assigned process, such as advising (Johnson et al, 2022). Third, it appears that in many cases, it is up to students to initiate the relationship (Almond et al, 2021; Huwe & Johnson, 2003). For example, in a survey of 787 recent clinical psychology graduates, 43% of protégés reported that they initiated the mentoring relationship, 35% were mutually initiated, and 14% were assigned (Clark et al, 2000).…”

Commentary on Highly Successful Female Educational Psychologists: Equity and Intersectionality in Success Definitions

“…Studies show that female academics tend to select male mentors and mentors of different ethnicity (Amabisca 2005 ; Almond, Parson & Resor, 2021 ). One of our interviewees described how the possibility to consult her career choices with male mentors from different disciplines taught her efficient time-saving techniques and boosted her confidence both as an academic and as a mother.…”