Systematically examining the mentoring process for PhD students’ needs to recognize that it has characteristics of unit/small batch production and relies heavily on the coproduction of the PhD student. This article examines one mentor’s experiences with 80+ PhD students over an extended period of time using these conceptual lenses. Three general principles or “mind-sets” that serve as an overall guide to the process. First, mentors need to take cognizance of their strengths and weaknesses as scholars and potential mentors. Second, mentors need to recognize that students vary in skills, personality and responsiveness; and these factors need to be considered in successful mentor relationships. Third, humility is valuable since not everything will work every time. Mentoring is a process where adjustments need to be continually made as the student, the mentor, and their relationship evolves. Ten specific tools are discussed in relation to these mind-sets.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BehlN. (2020). Violence and mentoring: Race, gender, and sexual harassment. PS: Political Science & Politics, 53(4), 780–783. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096520000451
2.
BoerenE.Lokhtina-AntoniouI.SakuraiY.HermanC., & McAlpineL. (2015). Mentoring: A review of early career researcher studies. Frontline Learning Research, 3(3), 68–80.
3.
BrudneyJ. L. & EnglandR. E. (1983). Toward a definition of the coproduction concept. Public Administration Review, 43(1), 59–65. https://doi.org/10.2307/975300
4.
BrunsmaD. L.EmbrickD. G., & ShinJ. H. (2017). Graduate students of color: Race, racism, and mentoring in the white waters of academia. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 3(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649216681565
5.
FountainJ. & NewcomerK. E. (2016). Developing and sustaining effective faculty mentoring programs. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 22(4), 483–506. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2016.12002262
6.
HilmerC. & HilmerM. (2007). Women helping women, men helping women? Same-gender mentoring, initial job placements, and early career publishing success for economics PhDs. The American Economic Review, 97(2), 422–426. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.97.2.422
7.
HolzerM. (1999). Mentoring as a commitment to teaching. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 5(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.1999.12022047
8.
HurleyA. E. (1996). Challenges in cross-gender mentoring relationships: Psychological intimacy, myths, rumours, innuendoes and sexual harassment. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 17(3), 42–49. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437739610116993
9.
JohnsonW. B. & HuweJ. M. (2002). Toward a typology of mentorship dysfunction in graduate school. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 39(1), 44–55. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.39.1.44
10.
KritzerH. M. (1996). The data puzzle: The nature of interpretation in quantitative research. American Journal of Political Science, 40(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.2307/2111692
11.
LeeS.McGeeR.PfundC.BranchawJ., & WrightG. (2015). The mentoring continuum: From graduate school through tenure. In WrightG. R. (Ed.), “Mentoring up”: Learning to manage your mentorship relationships (pp. 133–153). Graduate School Press of Syracuse University.
12.
LiuC.WangL.QiR.WangW.JiaS.ShangD.ShaoY.YuM.ZhuX.YanS.ChangQ., & ZhaoY. (2019). Prevalence and associated factors of depression and anxiety among doctoral students: The mediating effect of mentoring relationships on the association between research self-efficacy and depression/anxiety. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 12, 195. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S195131
13.
MasonA. & HickmanJ. (2019). Students supporting students on the PhD journey: An evaluation of a mentoring scheme for international doctoral students. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 56(1), 88–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2017.1392889
14.
MetzgerA. M.PetitA., & SieberS. (2015). Mentoring as a way to change a culture of academic bullying and mobbing in the humanities. Higher Education for the Future, 2(2), 139–150. https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631115584119
15.
PortilloS. (2007). Mentoring minority and female students: Recommendations for improving mentoring in public administration and public affairs programs. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 13(1), 103–113. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2007.12001470
16.
Santa-RamirezS. (2022). Sink or swim: The mentoring experiences of Latinx PhD students with faculty of color. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 15(1), 124–134. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000335
17.
SchroederL.O’LearyR.JonesD., & PoocharoenO. O. (2004). Routes to scholarly success in public administration: Is there a right path?Public Administration Review, 64(1), 92–105. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2004.00349.x
18.
ShermanH. (1966). It all depends: A pragmatic approach to organization. University of Alabama Press.
19.
SmithA. E. & HatmakerD. M. (2014). Knowing, doing, and becoming: Professional identity construction among public affairs doctoral students. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 20(4), 545–564. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2014.12001807
20.
Spalter-RothR.ShinJ. H.MayorovaO. V., & WhiteP. E. (2013). The impact of cross-race mentoring for “ideal” PhD careers in sociology. Sociological Spectrum, 33(6), 484–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/02732173.2013.836141
21.
WangJ. & ShibayamaS. (2022). Mentorship and creativity: Effects of mentor creativity and mentoring style. Research Policy, 51(3), 104451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2021.104451
22.
WebbA. K.WangmoT.EwenH. H.TeasterP. B., & HatchL. R. (2009). Peer and faculty mentoring for students pursuing a PhD in gerontology. Educational Gerontology, 35(12), 1089–1106. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601270902917869
23.
WoodwardJ. (1965). Industrial organization: Theory and practice. Oxford University Press.
