Kenyon’s mentoring program is designed to provide new faculty with an introduction to the College, both as an institution and community, and to support our new colleagues in building a successful career through professional development in the important areas of teaching, scholarship, and citizenship. There are a number of formal ways that this growth is supported, including new faculty orientation, programming related to professional development and social connection, and the formation of mentoring teams for new tenure track faculty. Additionally, as an institution that values face-to-face engagement, informal mentoring by colleagues in and out of one’s home department develops spontaneously. Ultimately, mentoring is a powerful process by which individuals can harness the wisdom and experience of others to enhance their professional development, and this is particularly important for faculty starting their academic careers.

Mentoring Ecosystem

The programs and topics outlined below are part of the larger mentoring ecosystem at Kenyon that are sponsored by the Provost’s Office. Other campus loci for professional development include:

Mentoring in General

Your work at Kenyon will give you many opportunities to talk to members of your department(s) — as well as others at the College — about topics related to professional development in the classroom, your scholarly/artistic work, and collegiate citizenship. Members of the College faculty and staff regularly work together to think creatively to solve problems and continue on the life-long journey of learning and development. As you take part in this process, recognize that each of these interactions can bring you in contact with a mentor — someone that can help you grow and flourish.

Kerry Ann Rockquemore writes extensively about mentoring and, in this article from Inside Higher Ed (“Don’t Talk about Mentoring,” Oct 2, 2011), states that “the term ‘mentoring’ means many different things to different people.” She suggests that mentees and mentors approach the process by thinking about two questions, 1) what does a mentee need and 2) how can those needs can be met. From the perspective of a growth mindset, addressing needs and questions are the springboard to development, and Rockquemore indicates that mentors are those people that help with such progress.

Potential Activities for Mentoring

Mentoring activities will take different forms depending on one’s experience in the classroom, development of scholarly and/or artistic work, personal goals and specific interests in campus service. Regardless of background, however, class visits and follow-up debriefs, check-in meetings, and periodic reflection, are things in which all new (and old) faculty can find wisdom.

New Faculty Orientation

New faculty orientation is typically held two to three weeks before the start of classes and is designed to help new faculty in the development of their courses and expose them to the resources and support that is available on campus. (New faculty orientation schedule, summer 2024)There are also opportunities to learn more about syllabus expectations and Moodle, our course management software, through summer video meetups. The orientation also gives new faculty an opportunity to meet one another and to get to know the community.

Lead Mentor Program for New Tenure Track Faculty 

Kenyon’s “Lead Mentor program” involves a mentoring team working with each new tenure-track faculty member. This program is based on the principles of a mentoring network and, aside from helping to foster growth in areas of teaching, scholarly/artistic engagement and collegiate citizenship, this program lays the groundwork for new faculty to build connections throughout the College. Thus, while the formal program takes new tenure-track faculty members through their first two years, it will enable faculty to tap into a network of knowledge as they move forward in their careers. 

Support for Visiting Faculty

While Kenyon does not have a formal mentoring program for visiting faculty, the department chair and colleagues are expected to provide mentoring support. The guide for support of visiting faculty articulates activities that might be particularly useful for visiting faculty and their department colleagues.

Programming for Newer Faculty

(faculty in their first to third year)

The Provost’s Office runs programming throughout the academic year to facilitate discussion on pedagogical strategies, processes like review and faculty governance, etc.  The programs also offer time for people to get to know one another.

 Mentoring Beyond the Second Year

Cultivating mentoring networks is a good habit to acquire as early as possible in one’s career. It is also important to continue this habit throughout your lifetime. Academic careers often span three decades and will undoubtedly bring exciting opportunities and new challenges. For that reason, it is beneficial to have a network of mentors that can help think about the best available paths and resources for going forward.