Session 2 (10:00 - 10:45)

At the Intersection of Mentorship and Community Engagement
panel discussion | Kansas City Room

Anna Burns, Dr. Stephani Stancil, John Tumberger, and Amelia Whittier

Children's Mercy Kansas City 

In academic medicine, mentorship is vital for individual career growth, workforce development, and faculty retention, especially among underrepresented groups. A hallmark of a career in academic medicine is research work, the meaning and impact of which is enhanced by community engagement. This session describes a community-based mentorship model and provides guidance for integration of the model into research programs. Session speakers will span the workforce spectrum from high school student to faculty, sharing perspective into mentoring at varying career stages and how opportunities for peer and near-peer mentorship are embedded within a youth advisory board. Session learning objectives are to 1) describe the utility of a community-based mentorship model, 2) understand steps for development and implementation of a community-based mentorship structure within a research program, and 3) demonstrate tools to support engagement and career development for the next generation of scientists and clinicians. This session aligns with the conference theme by presenting an innovative, synergistic mentorship approach that facilitates academic excellence in current and future generations of scientists and clinicians. 

1. Recognize utility of community-based mentorship model    

2. Understand foundational steps to implement community-based mentorship structure within a research program   

3. Learn about tools to support engagement and career development for the next generation of scientists and clinicians 

Mentoring Student Mentors in Biology and Chemistry
fireside chat | Paseo Room

Dr. Jess Magana, Dr. Lena Hoober-Burkhardt, and Dr. Andrea Hutchison

School of Science and Engineering

Upper-class students enrolled in Biology 350 and Chemistry 350 mentor students in lower-level biology and chemistry courses as study group leaders or in the teaching laboratory by aiding students with technique development and helping them tie theory to practice. While the 350 students are working on their own teaching relationships with the younger students, the 350 professors are focusing on teaching pedagogy and guiding the 350 students in understanding different approaches to teaching biology and chemistry courses. This presentation describes the goals and structure of the course, mentorship tactics, challenges, and student feedback. Session attendees are invited to discuss potential improvements and modifications for other disciplines.

1. Session attendees will learn the structure and goals of these student mentorship courses.  

2. Session attendees will discuss the benefits and challenges experienced by students, student mentors, and faculty.  

Mentorship and the Spirit of Inquiry
Life Around a Faculty-Led Writing Group
panel presentation | Troost Room

Dr. Gina Paese (moderator); Panelists: Cynthia McDonald, Tiffani Riggers-Piehl, Bri Mann 

School of Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences

This fireside chat includes a moderated discussion where panelists will share personal stories and anecdotes around our collegial, voluntary writing group that is faculty-organized and facilitated. Our group takes a creative and democratic approach to mentoring; we meet weekly each semester and two members present 4-5 pages of writing for feedback. Group members read and write notes for feedback and engage in an ensuing feedback discussion with the presenting writers. Our semester sessions are bookmarked with reflection and goal-setting and celebrations of achievements. We also plan writing retreats during semester breaks and encourage each other by sharing resources and conference/manuscript calls relevant to each other's scholarly interests. By sharing stories of our experiences, we aim for all attendees to leave with new insights and resources around democratic, nurturing, inquiry-based mentorship within and across University departments and divisions.

By attending the session and engaging in discussion, the attendees will:  

• Envision new and varied approaches to academic writing mentorship that encourages community-building.  

• Consider the importance of balancing consistent structure with flexibility for participation, sustainability, and scholarly productivity.   

• Challenge traditional (constricting) academic silos and hierarchies of power within higher education towards more democratic and inclusive scholarship. 

Strengthening Learning Motivation through Mentoring:
Dialogic Exchanges and Personal Insights
fireside chat | Brush Creek Room

Izabel Galliera and Cristina Albu
School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Mentorship is key in the context of UMKC, an urban university with a great majority of students commuting and working a full-time job. Important for student retention and personal growth, it is built on long-term dialogic relationships which call for emotional and intellectual investment in communication and candid acknowledgment of vulnerabilities and strengths. As mentors, faculty can offer advice on new pathways for student research, share tips on how to balance life and academic responsibilities, and provide encouragement when obstacles arise. Mentorship proves most efficient when students have intrinsic motivation to succeed. How can such a motivation be consolidated through mentorship? How can the learning environment and the one-one relationship between mentor and student contribute to self-confidence and the desire to succeed? How can mentors enable students to pursue opportunities despite struggling with socio-economic problems which impinge on their commitment to their studies? These are some of the questions to be addressed in this "Fireside Chat" co-led by two associate professors of art history with extensive undergraduate and graduate advising experience. The session invites dialogue on successes and challenges associated with developing mentorship skills and building student motivation to succeed.

From shared personal insights and experiences, attendees will:  

• Learn about the challenges in mentoring students at an urban university.

• Gain tips on how to become a more successful mentor for both undergraduate and graduate students.  

• Learn about the significance of mentorship in student retention.