Overview
The Graduate Mentoring Initiative (GMI) offers a holistic mentoring program aimed at fostering a culture of faculty-graduate student mentoring across all academic disciplines.
The GMI curriculum showcases lived experiences and resources at UC Davis, as well as our own recognized and renowned mentors as campus leaders who promote the value and impact of positive mentoring experiences. UC Davis faculty, appointed Mentor Fellows, facilitate the mentor program for the campus with Graduate Studies Director of Mentoring and Academic Success Initiatives. Faculty discuss best practices, helpful tools, and ways to grow and develop as mentors.
The program was developed in consultation with an advisory board of faculty, graduate students, and staff and piloted to a group of faculty across disciplines during Spring Quarter 2021. The content uses the “Entering Mentoring” curriculum from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research as a base for the sessions.
Program Sessions
The program consists of six interactive sessions that faculty will participate in as a series with their cohort. The topics include:
- Aligning Expectations
- Maintaining Effective Communication
- Addressing Identity and Belonging
- Supporting Mentor and Mentee Well-Being
- Promoting Research Self-Efficacy
- Articulating a Mentoring Philosophy
* Please note, there is not currently a session devoted entirely to employment. Academic Personnel offers workshops and resources on employment and the new contracts.
Mentor Fellows
Each GMI session includes UC Davis faculty facilitators (Mentor Fellows) who will lead discussions. Past and present Mentor Fellows are:
- Chris Cappa, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Ambarish Kulkarni, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
- Pamela Lein, Professor, Molecular Biosciences
- Jeremy Mason, Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
- Crystal Rogers, Associate Professor, Anatomy, Physiology & Cell Biology
- Margaret Ronda, Associate Professor, English
- Teresa Steele, Professor, Anthropology
- Archana Venkatesan, Professor, Comparative Literature and Religious Studies
- Andrew Whitehead, Professor, Environmental Toxicology
Program Details and Application
Dates: Tuesdays
October 15, October 22, October 29, November 5, November 12, November 19
Time: 10:00am-11:30am
Location: Walker Hall
Deadline to apply: October 4, 2024
Cohort Size
The cohort will be limited to 20-25 participants. Applicants will be notified if they are accepted into the program. There will be a waitlist enabled and used as needed.
Eligibility
Applicants must be a member of a UC Davis graduate group or program and should be a member of the Academic Senate or have the following Academic Federation titles: Adjunct Professors, CE Specialists (with Educator without Salary appointment), and Professional Research series (with Educator without Salary appointment).