University-wide MENTOR Institute Training for Faculty, Graduate Students, and Post-docs
The purpose of the MENTOR Institute training is to enhance mentoring practices as a means to improve outcomes such as career advancement, obtaining a great job, timely promotion, academic milestones, and graduation. There is also evidence that quality mentoring practices and connections with great mentors is linked to a better sense of belonging and overall satisfaction with one's work. This training is meant for both mentors and mentees.
These trainings were created with expert consultation from University of Arizona faculty, post-docs, and graduate students. We also integrated current best practices from well-established mentoring organizations including the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences (CIMER), the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD), and the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN).
This training has two levels:
Level 1: MENTOR Institute Online Training is a completely asynchronous training that can be found in EDGE Learning and takes 60-75 minutes to complete. If you would like to complete the Level 1 training only (you don't ever plan to take the Level 2 training), please register here. If you plan on getting the MENTOR Institute certification by taking both Level 1 AND Level 2 training, please register here. If needed, please use the following directions to register yourself for the training.
Please note that Level 1 of the MENTOR Institute training helps to meet the new expanded National Science Foundation (NSF) requirement in the responsible conduct of research (RCR). For more information regarding this new requirement, please visit the Research, Innovation, and Impact compliance website.
Level 2: MENTOR Institute Synchronous Training can be taken either in-person or virtually (Zoom) and takes 60 minutes to complete. This discussion and activity-based training will focus on the application of the concepts from the asynchronous training where participants will discuss their personal mentoring philosophy and practice positive communication. Registration for the Zoom offering of this training is found in EDGE Learning or you can schedule an in-person training by reaching out to Tara Chandler, Assistant Director, MENTOR Institute at chandlet@arizona.edu or 520-626-4559.
The Level 1: MENTOR Institute Online Training is a pre-requisite for taking the Level 2 training.
Please see below for the communication about the MENTOR Institute Training sent by Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Ronald Marx and Interim Senior Vice President, Research and Innovation, Dr. Elliott Cheu on August 24, 2023.
MENTOR Institute Certified Unit
The MENTOR Institute Certified Unit is a certification given to a department, school, division, unit, or program within the university in which any combination of 75% of the full-time faculty and full-time doctoral students (students in masters programs are encouraged but not required) who comprise the unit have completed both the Level 1 Online Training and Level 2 Synchronous training, developed by the University of Arizona MENTOR Institute.
Mentors are a vital part of the University of Arizona’s mission of educating and providing professional development for our students. The MENTOR Institute Unit Certification demonstrates that faculty and/or graduate students have learned best practices for establishing intentional mentoring partnerships and communities and are committed to demonstrate them to the best of their ability. The intent of this certification is to serve as a recruitment tool for faculty and graduate students and to honor units within the university who are dedicated to nurturing future scholars and fellow colleagues in inclusive, equitable, innovative, and holistically supportive ways to raise the standards of mentorship across the institution.
The (updated) deadline to apply for the 2024-2026 designation is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The system will not accept applications after the 5:00 p.m. deadline.
Click on the accordion below for more details on how to apply.
The vision of the MENTOR (Mentorship through Effective Networking, Transformational Opportunities and Research) Institute is to create a sustainable research institute that offers inclusive and evidence-based resources and training for faculty and students. The Institute also offers a MENTOR Fellows program, and mentoring awards. Our goals are aligned with the purpose at the University of Arizona, which is to work together to expand human potential to explore new horizons and enrich life for all. Our mission is to create a world where human potential is realized and we’re all working together to create solutions to big problems, so that life in our communities, in Arizona and on our planet can thrive. Our university values that undergird our purpose are integrity, compassion, exploration, adaptation, inclusion, and determination.
Note: Once it is awarded the unit certification is good for three years. At the end of the second year of certification (May), the unit will be notified and will have the third year to recertify by following the same directions for certification (75% of faculty and doctoral students will take both Level 1 and Level 2 MENTOR Institute training) which can be submitted by the May deadline of the third year in order to maintain continuous certification.
The (updated) deadline to apply for the 2024-2026 designation is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The system will not accept applications after the 5:00 p.m. deadline.
Certification:
Recipients will receive an electronic badge that will be emailed to them upon verification that all criteria have been met. This badge can be added to the official email signature, department website, etc.
Criteria:
- A combination of 75% of full-time faculty of any ranks (assistant, associate, and full) and tracks (tenure, continuous, and career) and full-time doctoral students (Masters students are encouraged but not required) within the unit, department, or program need to have completed the MENTOR Institute Certification which consists of the Level 1: MENTOR Institute Online Training found in EDGE Learning and the Level 2: Synchronous MENTOR Institute Training. The Level 2 Training is done synchronously either virtually or in person and can be scheduled at a time of your unit's convenience with the Assistant Director of the MENTOR Institute, Tara Chandler at chandlet@arizona.edu or 520-626-4559. Adjunct and part-time faculty as well as part-time doctoral students are encouraged to participate but will not count toward the 75% of the eligible unit participants.
Application Process:
An application packet must be submitted to Cultivate with the following materials:
Please use the
to include the following:
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Information about the individuals who have completed both levels of training such as first name, last name, NetID, role (faculty or graduate student), and the unit going for certification.
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Information about the individuals who are full-time faculty and PhD students who have not completed the training (name only).
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Date of completion of the MENTOR Institute Certification.
Review the application packet carefully before submitting to make sure that all the required material is accurate and included. Packets that are incomplete may be delayed.
Inclusive excellence is the engine that drives the value and practice of diversity and inclusiveness at the University of Arizona. At the center of Inclusive Excellence is the recognition and acceptance of the talents, worldviews, perceptions, cultures, and skills that faculty communities bring to the educational enterprise. The University of Arizona recognizes the power of a diverse community and strongly encourages nominations of individuals with varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. As a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the University of Arizona also recognized the importance of contributions of the nominee to the HSI mission.
For more information, please visit https://facultyaffairs.arizona.edu/faculty-resources/mentor-institute/mentoring-training
Please contact: Tara Chandler, +1 (520) 626-4559 or email chandlet@arizona.edu