Through a new partnership and campus summit, The Graduate School and Center for Faculty Excellence are equipping faculty to better mentor graduate students across disciplines.
By Ethan Quinn
Having a great faculty mentor can make all the difference in a graduate student’s success.
Through the Graduate Student Experience Initiative (GSEI), The Graduate School is working to improve mentored experiences for graduate students at Carolina. On April 9-11, 2025, the GSEI partnered with the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) to bring that dedication to the fore by hosting mentor trainings and a campus-wide Mentoring Summit to build community, share expertise, and support effective mentoring across Carolina.
The joint Mentoring Partners Initiative, a collaboration between the GSEI and CFE designed to scale up faculty mentor training, selected 32 faculty and staff with interest and experience in mentoring to a two-day training featuring facilitators from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Participants learned skills to assist in delivering CIMER-based mentor training to faculty mentors over the upcoming academic year and beyond. The Mentoring Summit facilitated conversations among these leaders about their mentorship experiences and lessons learned.
“The faculty mentorship training events are part of our broader plan – through the Graduate Student Experience Initiative – to build meaningful relationships between graduate students and their faculty mentors across the University,” said Beth Mayer-Davis, dean of The Graduate School. “I know from my own experiences as both a mentee and a mentor that these relationships play an invaluable role in advancing new knowledge and solving global challenges at a top-tier research university like Carolina.”
The training, which spanned disciplines and career stages, included case studies and activities focused on evidence-based methods in mentorship. The sessions covered many core competencies of CIMER and the GSEI, including aligning expectations, maintaining effective communication, and promoting professional development. Participants were also encouraged to develop personalized mentoring philosophies and formal mentoring plans.
Learning from Experts
The Mentoring Summit featured a keynote on Mentoring in the Current Moment, a lunch to celebrate campus faculty mentoring awardees, a listening session needs to support mentoring across the campus community, and concurrent sessions for mentees, mentors and administrators interested in improving mentoring in their units.
The keynote address was given by Angela Byars-Winston, one of the CIMER mentor training facilitators and a distinguished professor at the University of Wisconsin and an expert in mentoring within STEM disciplines. Byars-Winston discussed the critical need for culturally aware mentoring and the positive impacts of such practices on mentees’ careers. “Mentorship is a professional working alliance where both individuals support each other’s growth. Both career support and psychosocial support are necessary,” she explained.
“The Summit also served as a kick-off for the GSEI Faculty Mentor Training initiatives such as the Mentoring Partners and upcoming expansion of mentor training,” noted Erin Malloy, CFE director and associate provost for faculty development and success. “The engagement and depth of the discussions in the sessions at the Summit suggests real interest in building a culture of effective mentoring and support at Carolina”
Building a Mentorship Culture
During the lunch session at the Mentoring Summit, Provost Chris Clemens honored University faculty mentoring awardees and spoke about the importance of mentorship in academic life, describing it as more than just an apprenticeship.
“The world of the university is mysterious,” he said. “There’s a lot of context you need to understand. How do you navigate and look after your career? It doesn’t just come to you when walking through the door of the academy; it requires mentors. These are some of the most rewarding things you can do as a professional—have these mentorial relationships.”
CIMER-based training equips mentors with tools to engage mentees holistically, ensuring that mentors not only support academic and professional growth but also foster the emotional and psychological wellbeing of their mentees. Byars-Winston highlighted the need for mentors to recognize and respond to the lived experiences of mentees, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, as this recognition is positively correlated with greater mentee satisfaction and career success.
As part of Carolina’s efforts to build a culture of mentorship, the GSEI’s and CFE’s faculty mentor training partnership is critical in ensuring that the University continues to support the development of future scholars. By improving mentorship practices, Carolina is fostering an environment where all graduate students can thrive.