Mentoring – Just for Us
Rosemary Hays-Thomas, PhD, SPHR
UWF ADVANCE
January 14, 2013
Advice for Professional Careers...
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Focus on what is important.
Networking
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Professional organizations
Multiple networks, esp. for nontraditionals
“Weak ties” and “Structural holes”
Mentoring: multiple, formal/informal, peer
Most research in business – unconnected
with STEM mentoring advice!
ADVANCE Programs
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Commonly include formal mentoring as a
component of package of interventions
Variety of other ways to connect scholars
with senior (and other) colleagues
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Scholar luncheons
Visiting Distinguished Scholars
Career Networking Grants
What is Mentoring?
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Relationship between a senior and a junior
colleague
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In Greek myth, Odysseus arranged for
Mentor to oversee development of his son
Telemachus, hence the name!
Today, What is Mentoring?
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Relationship between a senior and a junior
colleague
Two-person relationship
Traditionally spontaneous (a “click”)
Mutual but asymmetrical (e.g., knowledge)
Dynamic – qualitative changes develop over
time (sometimes the roles reverse over time!)
Mentoring Functions (Kathy Kram)
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“Process” of mentoring – what goes on?
Qualitative studies of mentor-protégé pairs
Career (instrumental) functions:
challenging assignments, protection,
exposure and visibility, coaching,
sponsorship
Psychosocial functions: friendship, role
modeling, counseling, support
Special Issues for Women and People
of Color
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Availability of similar mentors
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Demographic similarity
Similarity in values, interests
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Perceptions of sexual interest or relationship (esp.
with female proteges and male mentors)
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Mentors’ understanding of proteges’ challenges
(e.g., work/life/family issues)
How does this apply to STEM in
academia?
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Problems when mentor is chair
(supervisor) – usually not assigned
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Conflict of interest/roles
Career/instrumental functions: Advice
about involvement/“politics”; introductions;
“how-to”; sponsorship; collaborations
Psychosocial functions: friendship, role
modeling, counseling, support
Outcomes of (self-reported) Mentoring
in Business Settings
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Higher salaries
More career progression
More reported organizational influence
More satisfaction with pay and benefits
But........
Causal inferences are tricky
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Does mentoring  these results, or
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Do high-potential juniors seek out mentoring,
or
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Are high-potential juniors sought out as
proteges?
Yes.....
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For People of Color (in business)
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With career mentoring alone, likely to
“plateau” (Psycho-social issues are imp’t.)
“Fast-track” minorities have more diverse
networks (minority & elsewhere)
And broader networks (social and
professional)
And less hierarchical ones (peers, juniors,
seniors)
In Informal Mentoring
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Access seems similar by race and sex but
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Mentoring is qualitatively different
Whites and men: more instrumental functions
Blacks and women: mainly social support
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Women and People of Color
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Seem equally likely to report being mentored,
but
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Less likely to be mentored by white men
Having a white male mentor associated with
$16,840- $22,000 yearly income difference
WM mentor > Other mentor> None
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Informal vs. Formal Mentoring
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“Everyone who makes it has a mentor.”
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Because informal mentoring worked for men,
why not advocate for women?
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Diversity management movement 
Extension to other underrepresented groups
Research on Formal Mentoring
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Outcomes better with Informal Mentoring >
Formal mentoring
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Organizational socialization
Satisfaction
Salary outcomes
Usefulness, perceived by proteges
But Formal mentoring > No mentoring
Some issues to consider...
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How partners are matched
“Bench strength” of female scientists
On-campus vs. off-campus
Incentives for mentors
Reluctance to impose on mentor
Confidentiality
Considering the Goals...
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Expectations for mentors – UWF project
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Rewards of sharing expertise, assisting in
mentee’s development
Compliment to be chosen
Instrumental help on professional work
Expanded professional network
“Credit” for successful efforts – “Counts as
service!”
????
Plans for UWF ADVANCE
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Voluntary participation
Solicitation of mentors *
Mentoring Committee to oversee matching
and progress of relationships
Training for mentors and proteges
Compatibility with Mentoring Committees in
departments
Plans......
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“Psychological contract” negotiated by
partners at initiation
Expected time duration and
Legitimacy of termination by either partner
Evaluation of outcomes for both partners
Questions for You....
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Have you been assigned a mentoring
committee?
Has there been training for committee, or for
you? What are the expectations?
Does anyone follow up on this process?
Suggestions for mentors?
Have you responded to our short mentoring
survey?
Expert Hotline
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The mentoring hotline is here to help you answer
questions you may have about teaching, research or
service at UWF. Please review the categories listed
to help identify an expert in that area. Our mentors
are willing to answer questions via email. If you have
a question that is not covered from the topics listed,
please email Pam Vaughan at pvaughan@uwf.edu
and we will connect you with someone who can help!
The Experts
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Dr. Susan Walch- School of Psychological and
Behavioral Sciences
Area of mentoring: University Policies
Email: swalch@uwf.edu
Dr. Robert Philen- Anthropology
Areas of mentoring: Committee Governance,
University Service, Tenure and Promotion
guidelines, IRB process
Email: rphilen@uwf.edu
More experts....
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Dr. Ron Belter- School of Psychological and
Behavioral Sciences
Area of mentoring: Sabbatical application
process
Email: rbelter@uwf.edu
Hedi Salanki-Rubardt- Music
Area of mentoring: Teaching
Email: hrubardt@uwf.edu
More Experts...
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Dr. Jane Caffrey- Biology
Area of mentoring: Grant funding
Email: jcaffrey@uwf.edu
Dr. Hui-Min Chung- Biology
Area of mentoring: Applying for campus awards, Grant
application procedure and forms, How the sabbatical process
works
Email: hchung@uwf.edu
*Dr. Chung will be on sabbatical during Spring of 2013 and will
have limited email access
Find Our Experts at
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http://uwf.edu/advance/mentoring/hotline/
(With photos!)