Posted: January 11, 2024
January is National Mentoring Month each year. It’s a nationwide celebration of how supportive, meaningful mentoring stokes curiosity, sparks fresh discovery, spotlights unforeseen possibilities, opens doors to new opportunities, turns dreams into reality, and changes lives both in the classroom and far, far beyond it. It’s also a call to expand and deepen such networks of collaboration, encouragement, and shared knowledge, skills, and experience to cast the net of mentorship’s positive impact ever farther in the present — and well into the future.
Throughout this month, the Graduate School at the University of Florida has lined up special events and speakers, a new Spotify podcast episode, and online leads to mentoring information, insights, and resources to help you join in the celebration, learn more about mentoring, and practice it as a graduate student or faculty member within our own campus culture.
So read on, Grad Gators — and find out what lies at your fingertips locally during National Mentoring Month!
Events
National Mentoring Month Swag and Thank Yous!
Tuesday, January 16 through Friday, January 19, 2024
12 noon to 2 p.m.
124 Grinter Hall
Click here for map and directions
Drop by the Graduate School to write a thank you note to your mentor and pick up National Mentoring Month treats and stickers (while supplies last).
Leveling Up Your Mentoring Capabilities:
Effective Mentoring Strategies (EMS) Spring 2024 Workshop
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Room 128 HMEB · Harrell Medical Education Building
Click here for map and directions
Click here to register
Join the UF Department of Engineering Education’s Dr. Jeremy Magruder Waisome and Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón to gain tools and insights to become better mentors. Topics covered: research mentoring ethics; communication strategies; self-awareness while mentoring; and mentorship and self-efficacy. Light refreshments will be served. Limited to 20 doctoral student and postdoctoral researcher participants. Questions? Email workshop coordinator Jasmine Smith at ferrelljasmine@ufl.edu.
The Ripple Effect Beyond the Classroom:
Virtual Graduate School Mentoring Panel
Thursday, January 25, 2024
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom
Click here for Zoom link
Passcode: 177307
Join in a conversation focused on the transformative power of mentorship, from shaping academic goals to navigating life challenges within a nurturing community. Hear others’ experiences of how connections with mentors extended far beyond classroom walls, leaving a lasting imprint on personal and professional destinies. Bring your questions — and get ready to learn how mentorship can unlock your full potential!
Mutuality in Mentoring: Fostering Trust and Respect
in Mentoring Relationships for Faculty and Graduate Students
Friday, January 26, 2024
10 a.m.
Room 3315 Reitz Union
Map and directions
Join Dr. Hannah M. Sunderman (Assistant Professor in Virginia Tech’s Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education) for this interactive workshop that explores the dynamic landscape of mentorship. This engaging session for both graduate students and faculty looks into strategies for creating an atmosphere of trust and respect, emphasizing collaboration between mentors and mentees to cultivate a supportive environment that nurtures graduate students’ professional and personal development..
Podcast
In celebration of National Mentoring Month, Grad Talk! has released its latest podcast, devoted to the topic of — well, mentorship, of course! This episode, Finding Mentors, features guests sharing their personal experiences on how they found mentors up to and throughout their graduate studies, the impact of those working relationships and networks of support, and tips on how to optimize your role as a mentor or mentee. Tune into the conversation on Spotify by clicking this link: Finding Mentors on Grad Talk!
More...
Learn more online about National Mentoring Month and explore a treasure trove of mentorship resources — toolkits, webinars, training modules, advocacy strategies, and more — by clicking this link: National Mentoring Month.
Closer to home, check out UF’s Mentor Academy — a training program that empowers mentors and elevates research: The Mentor Academy.
Two other mentorship training initiatives are the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) and the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), which will prove helpful and insightful.
Mentor on, Grad Gators!
Graduate School