1. Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (W-STEM)
W-STEM Mentoring Program Kick-Off
Carrie Menke
Fernanda Santos
W-STEM steering committee

2. Agenda 5 minutes Welcome 10 minutes
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Agenda
5 minutes
Welcome
10 minutes
Discussing a characteristic of an effective mentoring practice
15 – 20 minutes
Connecting research with experience
30 – 40 minutes
Determining what you want out of your mentor relationship
20 – 30 minutes
Connecting mentors and protégés
Closing announcements

3. W-STEM Mentoring Program
Goals
Discuss added importance and benefits of mentoring relationships for gender minorities in STEM.
Describe the characteristics of effective mentoring relationships.  
Identify your goals and expectations for your mentoring relationship.
Connect mentors and protégés based on feedback from survey.

4. Benefits of mentoring[1-5]
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Benefits of mentoring[1-5]
Protégé benefits
More career advancement
Higher compensation
Mentor benefits
Expanded network of colleagues (current and future)
The very act of mentoring may serve to effect their own transformation
Everyone
Retention in STEM fields
Increased job satisfaction
Support for work-life balance

5. Connecting research with experience
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Connecting research with experience
Research: Traditional STEM environments align with male socialization characteristics that may make women feel more out of place.[1]
Experience:
Female
Male
Motivation
Encouragement
Challenge
Group Interaction
Integrated
Separated
Task Engagement
Collaborative
Competitive
Vision of Success
Group affiliation
Individual achievement
In the article “Gender-Informed Mentoring Strategies for Women Engineering Scholars: On Establishing a Caring Community”, the authors claim that socialized gender differences are particularly relevant to women’s success in STEM. They discuss traditional STEM environments (eg. promoting competition over collaboration) that align with typically male characteristics. Women, with generally different characteristics and goals, are therefore more likely to feel out of place.
N. C. Chesler and M. A. Chesler, Gender-Informed Mentoring Strategies for Women Engineering Scholars: On Establishing a Caring Community, (2002).
Talking Points for this:
What are the characteristics of your desires work environment?
Are any not currently in your STEM environment?
Discuss mentoring experiences or goals that have (or would have) helped you navigate this.
Table 1[1]. Outcomes of female and male socializations on characteristics and goals (adapted[3])

6. Connecting research with experience
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Connecting research with experience
Research: Distributed mentorship.[1]
“Mentors of both senior and junior colleagues, people inside and outside your field, via electronic media as well as personal connections”
Experience:
Talking Points:
What is the difference between an advisor and a mentor?
Do you believe more senior colleagues make the best mentors?
Discuss some of the characteristics you’ve found to be important in your prior mentoring relationships.

7. Connecting research with experience
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Connecting research with experience
Research: Peer Mentoring[1,4]
“simultaneously builds community and de-emphasizes seniority and hierarchy…may embody a more feminist construct for promoting women in academia”
Experience:
Talking Points:
What is the difference between an advisor and a mentor?
Do you believe more senior colleagues make the best mentors?
Discuss some of the characteristics you’ve found to be important in your prior mentoring relationships.

8. What do we mean by mentoring[5]
W-STEM Mentoring Program
What do we mean by mentoring[5]
A mentor helps his or her mentee set goals and standards and to develop the skills necessary to succeed.
It is an intentional process that is supportive, nurturing, and protective, providing orchestrated or structured experiences to facilitate growth.
A mentor provides constructive criticism yet allows room for risk and failure.
Through sponsorship and recognition, a mentor supports the growth and development of the mentee and bears in mind the mentee’s long-term career goals.
J. E. Girves, Y. Zepeda and J. K. Gwathmey, Mentoring in a Post-Affirmative Action World, Journal of Social Issues. 61, (2005).

9. Mentor Functions[5] Psychosocial Sponsorship Coaching Protection
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Mentor Functions[5]
Career development functions
Psychosocial
Sponsorship
Coaching
Protection
Challenging assignments
Exposure
Acceptance
Counseling
Colleagueship
Role Modeling
Career development functions: helps the protégé learn the ropes and facilitate their advancement in the organization
Sponsorship: sponsoring promotions and lateral moves
Coaching: coaching
Protection: protecting the protégé from adverse forces
Challenging assignments: providing challenging assignments
Exposure: increasing the protégé’s exposure and visibility
Psychosocial functions: address interpersonal aspects
acceptance and confirmation: helping the protégé develop a sense of professional self
counseling: providing a problem-solving and sounding board
colleagueship: giving respect and support
role modeling: providing identification and role modeling
What do you want out of your mentor relationship? Regardless of whether you’re taking a mentor or a protégé role, think about what you have to offer and what you want to gain. (May need to chat a little about what protégés offer mentors within the mentoring relationship; relate back to earlier slide if necessary).
What do you want out of your mentor relationship?

10. Mentor Connection Introductions Discussion of goals, do they align?
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Mentor Connection
Introductions
Discussion of goals, do they align?
Plans for future meetings
Reference spreadsheet Dan sent if needed
Orange means the went out for introduction,
green indicated they should be there today,
red they are not coming,
yellow they confirmed their pairing was ok.
If they did not confirm I paired them anyway and sent the of introduction.

11. Closing Upcoming event in November: to be announced
W-STEM Mentoring Program
Closing
Upcoming event in November: to be announced
December: holiday party and panel on the “Academic job search for Women in STEM”

12. 10 Myths about Mentoring1 Having a mentor is the best way to succeed.
W-STEM Mentoring Program
10 Myths about Mentoring1
Having a mentor is the best way to succeed.
Mentors should be older than protégés.
A close, intense relationship is the best primary way to learn about one’s profession and to move up the ladder.
Mentoring relationships must be long-lasting to be truly useful.
A person can have only one mentor at a time.
Mentoring is a one-way relationship, benefitting only the protégé.
Protégé’s must be invited to be mentored by the mentor.
When men mentor women, a sexual encounter is inevitable.
Men are better mentors for women.
The mentor always knows best.

13. W-STEM Mentoring Program
References
D. J. Dean, Getting the Most Out of Your Mentoring Relationships: A Handbook for Women in STEM Humanities, Social Science and Law, Volume 3 of Mentoring in Academia and Industry (Springer, 2009), p. 186.
N. C. Chesler and M. A. Chesler, Gender-Informed Mentoring Strategies for Women Engineering Scholars: On Establishing a Caring Community, (2002).
Gilligan, C., In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1982.
Chandler, C., “Mentoring and Women in Academia: Reevaluating the Traditional Model,” NWSA Journal, vol. 8, 1996.
J. E. Girves, Y. Zepeda and J. K. Gwathmey, Mentoring in a Post-Affirmative Action World, Journal of Social Issues. 61, (2005).