Culturally Responsive Mentoring

Inclusive Mentor Training for STEM Faculty

A group of nine faculty and staff stand outside a building holding a sign that reads “Pima–UAZ STEM Bridge – Welcome Cohort 3.” The group is smiling and dressed casually, with a mix of summer and business-casual clothing. The photo was taken in front of a modern building with glass windows and a shaded walkway.

Inclusive mentor training for STEM faculty occurs the month prior to the Pima-UAZ STEM Bridge new scholar orientation. The goal of the training is to provide in-depth interactive training to new faculty mentors so they understand the unique backgrounds of the mentees they will be working with. Faculty Mentors will be ready to form meaningful relationships with their mentees. Faculty mentors who attend this training will learn how the dominant culture influences other cultures and how that might impact the mentees that Faculty mentors are working with. Each training is led by two facilitators, they are structured in ways that allow faculty mentors to get to know each other, interact with peer mentors, success specialists, and work in smaller breakout rooms that allow for in-depth discussions. Sample topics discussed in this training include:

  • Introducing culturally responsive mentoring by  learning about types of oppression our student communities may experience 
  • Learning about Intersecting phenomena that affect inequalities in academic outcomes
  • Learning about interventions to incorporate into faculty mentors’ mentoring practice 
  • Learn about the Cultural Proficiency Continuum

5 interactive virtual sessions in the Fall Semester

  • Friday August 26th 11:00am-2:00pm
  • Friday September 2nd 11:00am-2:00pm
  • Friday September 9th 11:00am-2:00pm
  • Friday September 16th 11:00am-2:00pm
  • Friday September 23rd 11:00am-2:00pm
Woman with short brown hair smiling in a brown blazer against gray background

Kasi Kiehlbaugh

Co-PI, Pima-UAZ STEM Bridge Program (NSF S-STEM)
Director, Health Sciences Design, UA Health Sciences
Assistant Professor of Practice, Biomedical Engineering
A woman smiles in front of a scenic outdoor backdrop of mountains and a cloudy sky at dusk. She is wearing a dark outfit and a statement necklace, with short black hair styled neatly.

Tamara Carter

Graduate Research Assistant, Office of Societal Impact, RII
PhD Candidate, Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English
Coordinator, Bridging Differences Intergroup Dialogue Program

Resources for engaging in culturally responsive mentoring 

High Context Culture vs Low Context Culture: Communication Design for Avoiding Uncertainty 

 

Cohort 3 Faculty Mentors Meeting Their Mentees

On Saturday, September 24th, our newest cohort of faculty mentors had the opportunity to meet their newly assigned mentees during our S-STEM Bridge Welcome Orientation at Pima Community College, Northwest Campus. Faculty mentors consist of faculty from both Pima Community College and The University of Arizona. Cohort three students from the Pima-UAZ STEM Bridge program are in their last year of school at Pima Community College and will be transferring to the University of Arizona in Fall 2023. The relationships they build with their mentors will help guide them in this transition and in navigating their higher education goals and their unique STEM identities. 

Three people are seated at a lab table in a classroom setting. On the left is a faculty mentor in a navy polo shirt, and two students are seated across from him. Papers, folders, and a green gift bag are on the table. The classroom has lab equipment and shelves in the background.
A faculty mentor sits at a large lab table with five students, all smiling. The classroom features lab counters, whiteboards, and scientific equipment. Everyone is engaged with papers and notebooks in front of them.
A faculty mentor speaks with a group of students seated in a semicircle around a lab table. The classroom contains lab stations, cabinets, and a large American flag on the wall. Everyone appears engaged in conversation.