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Cultivating a Culture of Mentoring
Alongside research and teaching, mentoring sits at the core of Duke’s mission. Like teaching, mentoring supports the learning and growth of others. Yet mentoring is distinctive because of its direct, proven impact on academic and career success, and how it is embedded within respectful, collegial, and reciprocal relationships of care.
Because of its highly relational aspect, mentoring is often more art than science. There is no one right way to mentor, because relationships are shaped by individual, disciplinary, and contextual differences. Yet without a shared understanding of what mentoring is—within departments and programs as well as between mentors and mentees—misunderstandings and misaligned expectations can proliferate. Both mentors and mentees also benefit from shared expectations for their work together, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and high levels of trust and mutual respect.
The Art and Science of Mentoring: A Workshop Series for Faculty
A Four-Part Development Series (with RCR credits)
For 100 years at Duke, mentoring has fueled the academic and research progress of faculty and students in The Graduate School. What have we learned, and how do we mentor effectively with the evolving needs of today's students?
Integrating evidence-based mentoring case studies with insights from the “helping professions” of counseling and coaching, this series integrates the art of relational attunement with the science of structured, evidence-based mentoring. Faculty participants will strengthen their ability to mentor with empathy, clarity, and confidence, building relationships that foster growth, inclusion, and resilience.
Each session in this series has been approved for two hours of RCR credit and is intended for graduate faculty. The four sessions will be co-led by Maria Wisdom, Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, and Yan Li, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs.
Learn more about each session and how to register on each of the event pages below.
Video: A Good Mentor Is ...
In constructing these webpages on mentoring for faculty, staff, and students, Duke has benefited enormously from other institutions with well-established mentoring programs. We wish to acknowledge the following resources that contributed to the building of this site: