The Role of a CDIP Mentor
The foundation of the mentoring relationship, and the key to its success, is a strong Collaborative Plan of Support (CPS) developed jointly by the fellow and the mentor. The CPS is the road map through the fellow's doctoral studies and entry into the profession as a candidate for faculty positions. A strong CPS:
- Provides concrete activities linked to timelines that progressively build the fellow's professional portfolio in teaching, research, and service
- Is tailored to the specific relationship and interactions between the fellow and mentor; it should not include generic "boilerplate" language
- Cites important national or regional conferences for which the fellow and mentor will seek funding through the CDIP Travel Grant program
- Lays out the fellow's research projects for which mini-grant funding will be sought
- Explains how the mentor will ensure the fellow understands CSU academic culture and can articulate the CSU mission
- Details how the mentor will assist the fellow in crafting an academic CV, student success statements, letters of application, and any other documentation required for the job search
On an interpersonal level, trust and communication are vital to a successful mentoring relationship.
Sharing your own academic journey with your fellow, as well as how you have navigated work-life balance, the tenure process, and shared governance, will give your mentee the confidence to grow professionally and one day continue the mentoring tradition.