Mentor Space - Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President

Program Overview

The Mentor Space Program is designed to foster meaningful mentorship, professional growth, and community among participants at different stages of their academic careers. Through a structured series of workshops, peer engagement opportunities, and guided reflections, participants will strengthen their mentoring skills, expand their professional networks, and engage in intentional career development.

Grounded in the evidence-based Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) curriculum, this workshop series explores key dimensions of effective mentorship, including:

Clarifying the role and responsibilities of a mentor
Developing strategies for mentoring across differences and fostering inclusive academic and research environments
Strengthening communication skills and articulating a mentoring philosophy

Participants will engage in reflection, discussion, and applied activities to enhance their mentoring effectiveness and leadership. This track provides space for faculty to refine their approaches, share experiences with peers, and further develop mentoring practices that support the success and well-being of diverse mentees.

The program offers two distinct tracks—one for faculty and one for postdoctoral scholars—each tailored to meet the unique goals, challenges, and career trajectories of its participants while maintaining opportunities for shared learning across the cohort.

Program Tracks

Faculty Track

This track is designed for faculty who mentor graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, undergraduates, and research trainees and are interested in strengthening their mentoring practices. Faculty are welcome to join as many sessions as they can.

Workshop Schedule:

September 29: Understanding the Role of a Faculty Mentor
November 8: Mentoring Across Difference
February 4: Communication and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy
April 9: Navigating Critical Conversations and Feedback

Registration link: https://forms.gle/RRAzERBz53gzTQkc9

Postdoc Track

This track is designed for postdoctoral scholars who actively mentor graduate students, undergraduates, and lab members and are looking to strengthen their mentoring practices.

To participate in this program we ask that you attend all sessions:

Workshop Schedule

October 14: Understanding the Role of a Faculty Mentor
October 21: Mentoring Across Difference
October 28: Communication and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/cp5wiueVX8CEqW2R6

For questions, please contact Gabriela E. Vargas, f aculty@tufts.edu, assistant provost for faculty development, or Jennifer Castro, diversity@tufts.edu, assistant provost for developing people and leaders.