Guiding Lights New Faculty Mentoring Program
The Guiding Lights New Faculty Mentoring Program is designed to support new faculty members as they transition into their roles at UIS. The program fosters a sense of belonging, professional growth, and institutional engagement by connecting new faculty with experienced colleagues in a structured, collaborative mentoring environment. All mentors are trained before they are matched with new faculty.
The overarching goals include:
- Enhancing faculty retention and satisfaction
- Promoting inclusive excellence and equity-minded practices
- Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration
- Supporting career development in teaching, scholarship, and service
Group Mentoring Model
Rather than relying solely on one-on-one mentoring, the Guiding Lights program uses a group mentoring approach, which includes:
- Mentoring Circles: Small groups of new faculty are paired with senior faculty mentors from diverse disciplines.
- Shared Learning: Facilitated discussions on topics such as tenure preparation, work-life balance, inclusive pedagogy, and navigating university systems.
- Community Building: Opportunities for networking, peer support, and cross-departmental collaboration.
- Faculty-Led Sessions: Senior faculty lead workshops and conversations based on their expertise and experience.
Advisory Board Members
- Jennifer Martin, Center for Faculty Excellence Peer Mentoring Faculty Associate
- Daniel Platt, Assistant Professor Legal Studies and Faculty Associate for Center for Faculty Excellence.
- Timothy Hakenewerth, Assistant Professor of Counseling
- Youngjin Kang, Associate Professor of the School of Public Management and Policy
- , Associate Provost Faculty Affairs and Professor
- Sara Lupita Olivares, Assistant Professor of English
- , Professor Psychology
- Neetu Singh, Associate Professor of Management Information Systems