The Value of Mentoring Young Professionals: A Conversation with New Professionals

1. The Value of Mentoring Young Professionals: A Conversation with New Professionals Andy Axsom, University of North Texas Angel Nathan, Middle Tennessee State University Becky Reamey, The University of Alabama

2. Overview • Outcomes • Literature • New Professionals Institute • Mentoring on Your Campus

3. Outcomes • Understand what literature says about mentoring • Explore mentoring as a fundamental area of professional development • Identify examples of peer/collegial support between NASPA/SACSA New Professionals Institute (NPI) attendees and faculty • Explore what colleagues can learn from working with and mentoring new professionals • Evaluate mentoring opportunities by synthesizing NPI experiences

4. Literature Bova and Phillips (1982) • Mentors : -Encourage the dreams and support the career aspirations of protégés -Provide opportunities for mentees to observe and participate in their work -Help mentees become aware of the unwritten rules and politics involved in the profession

5. Literature Kram (1983) Two categories of functions served by mentors • Career functions -Sponsorship, Visibility, Coaching, Protection, Challenging Assignments • Psychosocial functions -Confirmation, role modeling, acceptance, counseling, friendship

6. Literature Profile of a Mentor Levenson (1975) • One defined not in terms of the formal role but in terms of the character of the relationship and the function it serves. A mentor’s primary function is to be a transitional figure, one who fosters the young person’s development, a mixture of parent and peer

7. Literature Profile of a Mentor Bolton (1980) • A person who personalizes the modeling influence for the protégé by a direct involvement not necessarily implied by a role model. Thus, in addition to being a role model, the mentor acts as a guide, a tutor or coach, and a confidant

8. Literature Profile of a Mentor Phillips Jones (1982) • Mentors are influential people who significantly help you reach your life goals. They have the power- through who or what they know- to promote your welfare, training, or career

9. Literature Value to mentor Kram (1983) • Provides one the opportunity to redirect one’s energies into creative and productive action • Opportunity to review and reappraise the past by participating in a younger adult’s attempt to face the challenges of early adulthood Wright & Wright (1987) • Mentoring allows mentors to have a more enduring effect on a profession or organization

10. Literature Value to mentor Levinson et al. (1978) • Satisfaction in passing skills and wisdom on to protégés Ragins and Scandura (1999) • Fulfillment received from fostering the development of a younger adult

11. Literature Chao (1997) Two types of mentoring • Formal Mentoring • Managed and sanctioned by an organization • Informal Mentoring • Spontaneous relationships • Occur without external involvement from the organization • Not managed, formally structured, or formally recognized

12. Literature Summary What Mentoring Provides Mentee • Career Advancement • Networking • Professional Development • Personal Identity • Increased Competence What Mentoring Provides Mentor • Reflection • Redirect the future • Impact on profession and professional organizations • Impact on the field

13. New Professionals Institute(NPI) • NASPA/SACSA • NPI is an interactive week of learning, sharing, networking and professional and personal development • Focus on professional and personal renewal assists new professionals in the development of their careers

14. NPI “You get out of grad school and know Chickering, Cross, and Cass to name a few. But you don’t know how to manage work and life, what conferences to attend, or how to publish and present. This is where mentors come in and help you navigate those things you didn’t learn in graduate school. As a new professional you find that these mentors will help you beyond measure.” -Ciarra Joyner, University of Tampa

15. NPI “NPI gave me the opportunity to step outside my box and really discover how to become a successful professional. I can’t think of another opportunity to really speak with VPs on their experiences in a candid and open setting. It was so insightful.” -Faith Stiffler, Tarleton State University

16. Mentoring on Your Campus • NPI is a great experience but is not the only way for these mentoring relationships to occur • Mentoring can be critical to younger professionals although valuable for all What formal and informal mentoring opportunities are available on your campus?

17. Mentoring on your campus Suggestions to create mentoring opportunities: • Don’t assume that all younger professionals have mentors! • Graduate students • Newcomers to the department/division • Colleagues at other schools • Professional Organizations

18. References • Bova, B.M., Phillips, R.R. (1982, November). The Mentoring Relationship as an Educational Experience. Paper presented at National Conference of the Adult Education Association of the USA, San Antonio, TX. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 224 944. Retrieved June 1, 2009 from ERIC database. • Chao, G. T. (1997). Mentoring phases and outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 51, 15 – 28. • Kram, K.E. (1983). Phases of the Mentor Relationship. The Academy of Management Journal, 26 (4), 608-625. • Levinson, D., Darrow, C., Klein E., Levinson, M., McKee, B. Season’s of a man’s life. New York: Knopf. • Ragins, B.R., Scandura, T.A. (1999). Burden or Blessing? Expected Costs and Benefits of Being a Mentor. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 20 (4), 493-509. • Russell, J.E.A., Adams, D.M. (1997). The Changing Nature of Mentoring in Organizations: An Introduction to the Special Issue on Mentoring in Organizations. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 51, 1-15. • Wright, C.A., Wright, S.D. (1987). The Role of Mentors in the Career Development of Young Professionals. Family Relations 36(2). 204-208.