Mutual Mentoring Grant

The CFE offers funding to small groups of faculty to support each other at every career stage.

WHAT IS MUTUAL MENTORING?

Mentoring in higher education often takes the form of a one-on-one, hierarchical relationship in which a senior faculty member takes a junior faculty member under their wing. By contrast, the CFE Mutual Mentoring Grant encourages the development of a wide variety of mentoring partnerships to address specific areas of knowledge and expertise.  Research indicates that mutual mentoring is particularly effective in the support of women and faculty of color. 

See: Sorcinelli, M. D., Yun, J., & Baldi, B. (2016). Mutual mentoring guide. The Institute for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Development. University of Massachusetts, 301.

MUTUAL MENTORING EXPANDS “MENTORING” BY FOCUSING ON

-Self-identified needs and goals, rather than generic, one-size-fits-all knowledge
-A network of multiple, diverse mentors (peers, near-peers, senior faculty, chairs, same-race/cross-race, same-gender/cross-gender);
-A variety of formats for mentoring (one-on-one, group, face-to-face, online);
-A more intentional, proactive approach to mentoring; 
-Reciprocal/relational vs. hierarchical mentoring; and
-In sum, mentoring that is faculty-driven, functional, and flexible.

See For rational and description in the Mutual Mentoring Guide,  by Mary Deane Sorcinelli, Jung Yun, and Brian Baldi.

Examples of mutual mentoring groups in the past include:
Women Academics at Mid-Career
Writing the First Academic Book
Developing an Interdisciplinary Qualitative Research Group
Senior Academic Professionals
Teaching and Technology
Grant Proposal Writing
Improving Work/Life Balance
International Faculty Development
Disseminating Research

Apply

Applications are accepted during the academic year from August 15 through April 30.

Launch Online Application

Mutual Mentoring Resources from February 2, 2022 Event.

file-outline Colleague Mentoring Committee Proposal - cec-proposal_0.pdf (63.77 KB)
file-outline Colleague Mentoring Committee Options - colleague-mentoring-committee-options.pdf (74.26 KB)
file-outline Estimated Time Required for CEC member - time-for-cec_0.pdf (87.06 KB)

Contact the Center for Faculty Excellence

Contact the Center for Faculty Excellence for further information.