Do students of different races and genders view the need for mentoring differently?
You bet.
Exploring Differences in Perception
In September 2006, MentorNet was awarded a grant for Exploratory Research through the National Science Foundation's Engineering Directorate to explore students' perceptions of the value and need for mentoring.
Stacy Blake-Beard, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Simmons School of Management and a nationally recognized authority on mentor relationships, workplace diversity and strategic networking, served on an advisory panel for the study. According to Professor Blake-Beard, "research on mentoring is still all too often collected using predominantly White samples. When findings from these studies are then generalized to other populations, we lose an invaluable opportunity to explore what happens with mentoring across dimensions of difference. So a particularly important contribution of the MentorNet study is that the survey tapped into a diverse pool of students, asking them to provide their experiences with and perspectives on mentoring. As a result, the MentorNet study yields information about a range of student experiences."
Interpreting Survey Results
Professor Blake-Beard explained that her role, along with five others on the advisory panel for the study was two-fold. "We helped MentorNet make sure they were asking the right questions. Then after results came in, we helped interpret the data based on our collective experience."
Another member of the advisory panel, Sheri Sheppard, Ph.D., Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, says the study uncovered three big findings. "First, we learned that while many students take advantage of mentoring resources, many do not." The study found only 62% of respondents had a mentor during their undergraduate or graduate years, leaving a large portion of the population mentorless.
Second, Professor Sheppard emphasizes, "Many students have not been given the advice that mentoring can make a difference in their professional and personal development. Mentoring programs need evangelists." The study found 36% of respondents reported no one encouraged them to find a mentor. In engineering, approximately 50% of students said they didn't have a mentor.
Third, Professor Sheppard says, "Men and women have different expectations and needs for mentoring, although there is a lot of common ground." Female respondents, for example, were significantly more likely to seek mentors of the same gender.
Broadening Definitions of the 'Perfect Match'
This is a problem, Professor Blake-Beard points out. "As organizations began to use formal mentoring as a tool, there was some belief that the ideal way to pair participants was to make same gender and/or same race matches. What we've learned is that having multiple mentors to address diverse needs is far more helpful than finding a single perfect match by race and/or gender."
Underrepresented students of color were significantly more likely than others to seek same-race mentoring.
What's more, Professor Blake-Beard notes, "There simply aren't enough people of color and female mentors in science, technology, engineering and math fields to go around. So broadening protégés' perceptions of what an ideal match should look like is a priority."
Professor Blake-Beard encourages protégés to build a "constellation" of support. "One person often can not fulfill all of the needs that you may have. So the suggestion now is to have a network of support. Have a mentor in your field or at your school who can help you achieve success academically. Then get another outside your school and discipline who can offer a more holistic approach to your career development. The bigger the network, the better."
Getting the Word Out
Both Professors Sheppard and Blake-Beard said they hoped the survey results would be translated into a series of papers and journal articles directed toward faculty, advisors and academic administrators to educate them about the relative lack of information students receive about the value of mentorships.
The study showed 20% of students found their mentor on their own, with only 13% finding a mentor through their academic department.
Professor Sheppard said, "I would like to see a one-page advisor-mentor briefing document that would give faculty and advisors a quick read through the findings."
Professor Blake-Beard added, "It would be great if we could get colleges and universities thinking more about how they can make mentoring more a part of the university culture and get them to spend more time educating students about the many ways mentoring can help students progress into the jobs they want—and after they graduate, help them advance in their careers. Most successful people have mentors—and the most successful people have more than one. Our colleges and universities need to be sharing this knowledge with students...that's the bottom line."