Faculty Mentoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Case Study of a Doctoral Teaching Practicum

Though the term "mentor" has a long history with varied meanings, it has evolved to represent an individual who dedicates his or her time to help other individuals learn and progress toward maturity and the development of their identity (Gopee, 2011) Over time, there have been a number of paradigm shifts related to the process of mentoring, with mentorship now largely characterized as a form of reciprocal learning. This developmental relationship between mentor and mentee has evolved to represent an interaction in which goal attainment is achieved through reflective experiences resulting in personal growth and mutual gain for all involved (i.e. mentee and mentor; Campbell, Smith, Dugan, Komives, 2012) Two common mentorship processes identified in the literature are in the areas of psychosocial development and career development (Campbell et al. 2012) Psychosocial aspects of mentorship involve providing guidance, role modeling, and counseling. Career mentorship often involves coaching, networking, and development of the mentee in the professional world. This is also true of mentorship in higher education. Mentorship, specifically in the area of health care professional education, has been shown to have a central role in the development of student behaviors when students enter clinical practice (Gopee, 2011) Undergraduate medical students who participated in a formal mentorship program reported developing a strong sense of support and security and the feeling of having a space alongside the educational program where they could discuss issues not able to be discussed elsewhere (Kalen, Ponzer, Silen, 2012) Mentors and mentees had the ability to develop an open dialogue that facilitated reflection on experiences and personal growth, and mentees reported an increased feeling of hope about the future and increased motivation to complete their studies. In all, students reported that mentorship assisted in the transition from student to practitioner (Kalen et al. 2012) Mentoring has also been significantly correlated with favorable mentee outcomes (Eby, Allen, Evans, Ng, DuBois, 2008) Students engaging in positive mentoring relationships frequently reported and exhibited a wide range of behavioral, attitudinal, relational, motivational, and professional benefits in comparison to students who did not (Eby et al. 2008) Mentorship in graduate education often led to enduring relationships that provided career assistance, emotional support, and role modeling for future professional behaviors (Eby et al. 2008) The transition from doctoral student to independent scholar has also been investigated (Baker Pifer, 2011) Surveying doctoral students who had completed coursework and were preparing to embark on their dissertation, Baker and Pifer (2011) found that the transition toward independent scholar and academician required not only acquisition of new skills and developing new levels of competencies, but also socialization to the process. In their work, socialization was essentially the development of a professional identity. Positive socialization experiences required relationship building with other professionals both within and external to the academic community, including, but not limited to, faculty superiors, peers at the same point in the program, and peers who were more advanced in the program. For purposes of this work, developing relationships with peers and superiors may be considered a form of mentorship. Campbell and colleagues (2012) highlighted the importance of academic mentorship in developing leadership qualities in students. This concept can be easily applied to learning how to become an academician in higher education. A faculty member must lead the class, lead discussions, lead critical thinking processes, and lead the way for students. In effect, facilitating an effective class throughout an entire semester, where students are motivated, actively engaged, and ultimately learning the content, requires emerging leadership.