Tips and Questions for Mentoring in a Multi-Cultural Environment

Mentoring Committee:
Katheryn Epps, Mentoring Committee Chairperson and Dahalia Robinson, Co-Chair, welcome your comments and ideas that will strengthen and enhance the mentoring relationships between our mentors and mentees. Please contact us at, EPPS_kk@mercer.edu and Dahlia.Robinson@asu.edu.

CROSS-CULTURAL MENTORING: SOME TIDBITS*

• Introduce the junior faculty member to the departmental culture, clarifying the written and well as unwritten rules and values.
• Understand your own personal prejudices and attitude toward race and culture.
• Obtain knowledge about how and why people of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds act the way they do.
• Learn to respect the importance and uniqueness of the diverse cultural operating styles, while helping the junior faculty member in mastering the majority cultural operating styles.
• Identify barriers that result from differences in modes and styles of communication, and be willing to serve as a cultural broker for the junior faculty member.
• Be vigilant of isolating factors created by the informal networks in the department (lunch groups that are "open to air" but only a few are verbally invited or reminded).
• Monitor the new faculty member's interaction with other faculty.
• Advocate for the junior faculty member and protect him/her from over burdensome service loads resulting from "tokenism" and the assumption that they are the only appropriate person around to deal with problems of minority students and issues of diversity.
• Assist the new faculty member in developing networks that support professional as well as emotional growth.
• Assist the junior faculty member to navigate the tenure and promotion process.
• Keep an eye on the faculty who opposed the initial appointment (Remember that such an opposition will not evaporate).
• Make sure the junior faculty member is not exploited in group projects, their efforts must be equitably recognized.

MENTORING CROSS CULTURALLY: QUESTIONS FOR MENTORS*

• How do you feel about mentoring someone who is of different race or culture?
• What are your views on acculturation or assimilation versus cultural pluralism?
• Are you aware of your stage of cultural identity development?
• What is your preferred method for addressing race and culture in a mentoring relationship?
• Do you believe that racial, cultural or ethnic discrimination occurs in academia?
• What is the diversity maturity of your department and institution?
• What social networks in your organization or community can you recommend to your protégé?
• Are your personal and professional goals closely aligned with those of your protégé?
• What career pitfall or difficulties might be experienced by your protégé because of his race or ethnic grouping?
• What behaviors or values might your protégé hold that are due to racial, cultural or ethnic grouping that might be detrimental to success in the workplace?
• What is the official policy of your organization on discrimination?
• What are the procedures for filing a discrimination complaint?

* Source: Davidson, Martin N. & Foster-Johnson, Lynn. 2001. Mentoring in the preparation of graduate researchers of color. Review of Educational Research, 71 (4), 549-574.

The Diversity Section Home Page