Innovative Approaches to Traditional Mentoring Practices of Women in Higher Education

Abstract

The chapter will present research specific to the mentoring needs of women in higher education, specifically females in early and mid-career as well as women pursuing senior faculty status and positions of leadership. The chapter will begin with a description and rationale of mentorship, specifically among female faculty, as well as an explanation of the traditional model of mentoring. The chapter will then lead into a discussion of both traditional and innovative methods of mentorship and evaluate the benefits of mentoring to the mentor. Throughout the chapter, mentorship relationships among female faculty are evaluated under the theoretical lens of relational cultural theory and social learning theory. The chapter will conclude with a discussion of future research and potential practice of mentoring female faculty in academia.