Mentoring Philosophy

Mentoring embodies the core principles of the MMUF program, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation recognizes the faculty/student relationship as the driving force beneath the sustainability and success of this program.  Only a consistent commitment to this relationship will enable us to achieve the goals of the program and bring greater diversity to the academy.

As mentors, faculty members have the knowledge and responsibility to demystify the formal and informal aspects of earning a doctorate.  Mentors also give fellows insight into the fulfillment and rewards of a career in scholarship and teaching. 

In the mentoring relationship, the sharing of personal experience and the transmission of knowledge intersect in a trusting learning environment that provides opportunities for both mentor and student to stretch beyond her or his boundaries.