Enhancing Recruitment, Professional Development, and Socialization of Junior Faculty through Formal Mentoring Programs

Abstract

Faculty are the bedrock of any university and they play a central role in all facets of academic life. However, despite impressive educational credentials, new faculty do not arrive with all the knowledge and experience necessary to advance in their new setting. This paper describes the use of a formal mentoring program as a poweiful vehicle for socializing new faculty into the culture, mission, goals, and characteristics of the university and the communities it serves.