Why Mentor

The following module will discuss why faculty may wish to serve in a mentorship role.  Individual motivation varies greatly from one person to another. While some are intrinsically motivated by personal goals and objectives, others may focus more on extrinsic factors.  

Learning Objectives

• Discuss reasons and benefits of research mentorships
• identify intrinsic motivational factors
• Identify extrinsic motivational factors

Introduction

 For some faculty, scholarship and publication are familiar practices born from experience, drawing on skills acquired over time. While the result of publication and recognition are certainly gratifying, faculty may feel the desire to engage in more intrinsically based motives as well. One may seek a greater sense of purpose or professional obligation to impart his or her knowledge to less experienced faculty and help guide the process so others can achieve similar success and accomplishment. With the increased demands placed on faculty in terms of teaching, research and service, additional support can be of great value, particularly to new faculty or those unfamiliar with the research process. Unfortunately, as (Savage, Karp, & Logue, 2004) report, novice faculty report often feeling isolated, lonely, separated and sometimes the target of incivility as well. 

 Collegiality

 In order to combat these negative feelings, experienced faculty willing to mentor others in the area of research can help. We see this in terms of collegiality, “actions intended to benefit one or more people other than oneself – behaviors such as helping, comforting, sharing, and cooperating” (cited in Victorino, Nylund-Gibson, & Conley 2018, p. 783). By engaging in altruistic pursuits for the benefit of others, faculty mentors can have a positive impact on mentees beyond research alone. Willingness to share and collaborate through a mentorship builds a sense of community among faculty, while reducing the isolation and unease some faculty may experience when they lack support. As one faculty put it, “helping others is rewarding. Period. As a member of society and this community, it is my responsibility, and my great pleasure, to offer my hands to those who need them" (Associate Professor, 2020, para. 2).

 Service to Others

 In addition to the benefits for faculty mentors and mentees themselves, mentorship and the resulting collegiality is of great value to the university as a whole. A strong, supportive foundation contributes to the overall greater good, in turn, leading to a positive organizational culture. Victorino, Nylund-Gibson, & Conley (2018) prescribed faculty mentorship as a best practice for socializing members of an organization. Socialization can be of particular importance for faculty members that may work remotely and lack direct access to colleagues more typical in a traditional workplace setting. This offers faculty mentors an opportunity to fill that gap by utilizing technology tools such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.  

 Potential generational differences are a consideration as well. Late Gen X and Gen Y faculty often expect more support and collegiality than their predecessors (Kiel, 2019). By partnering with other faculty within the university through mentorships, the divide between diverse groups can be narrowed. Understanding how diversity shapes the needs of mentees can help mentors better tailor the mentorship process for each individual and delineate the roles and responsibilities of both parties. 

 Beyond intrinsic motivation

 While intrinsic motivation provides mentors with an opportunity for service to others and the university, factors such as additional publication opportunities, faculty rank and tenure, esteem or potential incentives are valid extrinsic motivators for serving as a research mentor. Providing research mentorship for less experienced faculty seeking to write and publish scholarly work could result in additional publication opportunities. If a mentee needs assistance throughout the process of writing research, joint authorship would be a natural progression and be of mutual benefit to the mentor and mentee. 

 Recognition is also a significant motivational factor for becoming a research mentor. A mentor garners esteem from his/her mentee, as well as within the university. The mentor role becomes a vehicle for recognition as a subject matter expert in the area of research. Subject matter expertise is further enhanced when their mentor activities demonstrate competency in a specific field. Lechuga & Lechuga (2012) found that faculty value a sense of mastery over subject matter and the need for recognition of peers, as well administrative mobility. These values extend to mentorship as one gains notice in this same regard. 

Further, when faculty partner in research mentorship, the greater research community benefits from these joint contributions. Additionally, students benefit from the increased scholarship of faculty possessing a greater body of knowledge in which to teach. 

 Summary

 Whether intrinsically or extrinsically motivated, being a research mentor is a personal and professional investment worthy of consideration.  Benefits to the individual, to others and the university abound. Effective faculty mentoring improves faculty satisfaction, retention, research productivity, and student learning (Kiel, 2019). Faculty considering a research mentor role are encouraged to evaluate individual motivational factors to determine whether mentorship is the right fit. Seeking input from faculty chairs, deans or others in a supervisory role may also be of help in the decision making process.  Consider scheduling a “touch base” meeting with someone in a supervisory role to talk about your desire to be a research mentor. 

 References

 Lechuga, V. M., & Lechuga, D. C. (2012). Faculty motivation and scholarly work: Self-determination and self-regulation perspectives. Journal of the Professoriate, 6(2), 59–97.

 Associate Professor David Zhu Finds Joy in His Role on Faculty Peer Mentor Team. (2020). Indian EGov Newswire.

 Kiel, D. (2019, May 1). Why (And How) We Need to Improve Faculty Mentoring in Higher Education. https://www.academicimpressions.com/blog/improve-faculty-mentoring-higher-education

 Victorino, C., Nylund-Gibson, K., & Conley, S. (2018). Prosocial behavior in the professoriate. The International Journal of Educational Management, 32(5), 783-798. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-09-2017-0258

 Savage, H. E., Karp, R. S., & Logue, R. (2004). Faculty mentorship at colleges and universities. College Teaching, 52(1), 21-24.