Sarah Marion
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Ph.D. Candidate, Biology
BIO
Sarah Marion is a Ph.D. candidate in Biology, expected to complete her program in 2025. She received a B.A. in Biology from Brown University in 2012.
Prior to beginning her Ph.D. program, Marion held several positions at Duke, including a college advisor in mentoring undergraduate students, a laboratory instructor, a teaching lab manager, and a research associate in evolutionary genetics research. In these roles, she was known for her characteristic enthusiasm and making personal connections to support students in achieving their academic endeavors.
Marion’s research focuses on genetics and evolution, and she has conducted evidence-based assessments of how students learn these subjects. Sarah's dedication to mentoring extends beyond the lab, as she has also volunteered with the Academic Resource Center and taught her own class via a Bass Instructional Fellowship.
ON MENTORING
What does a successful mentoring relationship look like? How do you build such a relationship?
One of my top priorities as a mentor is to create a space where everyone feels a sense of belonging and safety. I think that is the foundation from which learning, growth and confidence building best occur, personally and academically. I try to spend time getting to know each of my mentees as people, as well as put in time and effort teaching them academically. I don’t have attachment to what they choose to pursue after college or after working in lab, I just enjoy helping everyone get what they can out of their experience and finding the next right step for themselves. In lab, while I aim to teach evolutionary genetics concepts and scientific thinking skills, I more hope that they build a deeper confidence in themselves to tackle whatever challenges they might face in the future.
What is something you have done as a mentor that you are really proud of?
I have not thought about this specifically before, but I think I’m proud of the wide range of people that I’ve mentored and in a wide range of settings from students working in lab, independent study students, new lab technicians, undergraduate tutors and even students in the class I taught last semester. I think I’m less proud of myself, but I feel a sense of pride seeing each of them succeed and when I hear from them after they’ve moved on from Duke. Being able to see their growth and my own is really fun and rewarding.
How do graduate students benefit from serving as mentors?
So many benefits! Mentoring has been the highlight of my time as graduate students. Graduate research can be isolating in many ways (especially during the pandemic) and mentoring was a huge source of personal fulfillment for me and provided day-to-day motivation. In terms of research, by verbalizing my excitement to others about their research, it also helped me stay motivated with my own. Importantly, I think that a critical skill for succeeding (in my definition at least) in academia revolves around mentorship and people management, which is not something that is explicitly built in to graduate training, so any experience I can get as a graduate student prepares me for any job that lies ahead.
IN THEIR WORDS
Excerpts from Marion’s nomination
“Sarah’s leadership and mentoring roles in the lab expanded greatly when I was recruited to become a dean. She essentially led the project involving multiple technicians and undergraduates, effectively functioning as a faculty member while being a graduate student. Her infectious, excited, can-do attitude about science gets everyone in the lab excited about their science.“
“Sarah’s mentorship and engagement taught me how to approach scientific research, as well as how to adapt and overcome unexpected challenges. Through her patience and guidance, she helped me overcome my fears and anxieties, creating an environment in which I could discover who I was as a scientist and a person.”
“Sarah’s encouragement, expertise, and warmness fostered an ambitious and enjoyable working environment. Her impact on me as a mentor is something I continue to seek out in post-graduate opportunities, and highlights her deservingness of this award.”