Chapter 15: Mentored Through Sponsorship

Research consistently demonstrates the significance of mentoring relationships between university faculty and graduate students. In this chapter, a mentee of an effective mentor discusses mentoring domains, roles of mentors, and strategies to use in the mentoring relationship. Six roles that research says mentors should play will be highlighted. An effective mentor should be a skillful advisor and teacher, a good listener and effective communicator, a sponsor, protector, and opportunity-maker, a model of scholarly research, a self-confident leader, and a lifelong learner. This chapter combines research and the writer’s practical experiences to honor the legacy that Dr. Frances Kochan is creating in mentoring.