Advancing Inclusive Mentoring Through an Online Mentor Training Program and Coordinated Discussion Group

Area of Science:

• Higher Education
• Mentoring and Professional Development
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Undergraduate research is a high-impact practice crucial for student success.
• Effective mentoring is essential for undergraduate research, yet many faculty and staff lack formal training.
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Initiative aims to address this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an online mentor training program, the Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (AIM) Program, for faculty and staff.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in refining mentoring skills, particularly for diverse student populations.
• To compare the efficacy of in-person versus virtual program delivery.

Main Methods:

• The AIM Program utilized online training videos and facilitated discussion groups.
• Two pilot studies were conducted: one face-to-face (Spring 2020) and one virtual (Fall 2020).
• Participants included faculty and staff from various disciplines across California State University Long Beach.

Main Results:

• Participants found the training videos and discussions engaging and informative.
• The program improved participants' strategies for communicating with mentees and diverse students.
• Participants reported strengthened commitment to inclusive mentoring and an intention to apply learned techniques.

Conclusions:

• The AIM Program, incorporating facilitated discussion, provides a valuable mentor training experience in both in-person and virtual formats.
• The program successfully enhances skills for inclusive mentoring across all disciplines.
• This training initiative is expected to ultimately improve overall student success on campus.