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Mentoring Excellence at Northwestern University

Northwestern supports the cultivation of an inclusive community of individuals who are dedicated to excellence in mentoring, who model diverse and inclusive mentoring practices, and who help others become effective mentors and mentees at Northwestern University.

Developing and implementing effective mentoring practices is necessary in order to build a supportive, equitable and inclusive community; to attract, retain and develop talented scholars; and to contribute to an institutional culture that prioritizes well-being and scholarly growth.

At Northwestern, faculty mentorship work should be guided by four core Foundational Principles of Mentoring Practice:  intentional, inclusive, relational and holistic. These principles were developed in 2020-2021 by the Provost’s Office Mentoring Council, composed of faculty from across the schools. The principles, best practices and list of resources are designed to assist all faculty serving in formal or informal roles as mentors and mentees.

Mentoring Relationships and Programs

Faculty mentoring takes place in multiple forms, including one-on-one relationships between individuals and group-based mentoring, and includes the mentoring of faculty colleagues, postdoctoral trainees and students. Many departments and schools offer formal mentoring programs for early career faculty. The Office of the Provost offers small group mentoring for department chairs and early career faculty through the Provost's Small Group Faculty Mentoring Program.

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion offers the IDEA Scholars Mentoring and Leadership Coaching Program, a faculty mentoring and academic leadership development program designed to promote the success of Northwestern's mid-career faculty, geared toward underrepresented faculty.

Mentoring Training

The Office of the Provost and The Graduate School in collaboration with the Center for Leadership offer the Northwestern Faculty Mentor Training Program for all faculty. Based on the Provost’s Foundational Principles of Mentoring Practice and nationally recognized best practices for the mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral trainees, the training includes small group work, case studies, short lecture-style learning, and guidance to help faculty be intentional and confident in their mentoring abilities. Topics include: Defining and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan, Establishing the Agreement for the Mentoring Relationship, Cultivating Trust and Safety, Equity and Inclusion, Promoting Professional Development, Fostering Independence/Self-Efficacy, Cultivating Ethical Behavior, and Assessing Understanding. This program typically is offered once each quarter.

STEM Faculty Mentor Training
April 21 and 28, 2023
Treinens Conference Room, SQBRC (Chicago)
Register online

Humanities/Social Sciences Mentor Training
June 1 and 2, 2023
Hardin Hall, Rebecca Crown Center (Evanston)
Register online


Provost’s Office Mentoring Council Members

  • Celina Flowers, Co-Chair; Assistant Provost for Faculty
  • Adam Goodman, Co-Chair; Director, Center for Leadership and Clinical Professor, McCormick
  • Steven Adams, Librarian, Academic Engagement, Northwestern Libraries 
  • Galen Bodenhausen, Professor, Psychology, Weinberg
  • Michael Deas, Assistant Clinical Professor, Journalism, Medill
  • Robert Holmgren, Professor, Molecular Biosciences, Weinberg
  • Joan Marie Johnson, Director, Faculty, Office of the Provost
  • Angela Lee, Professor, Marketing, Kellogg
  • Bonnie Martin-Harris, Associate Dean for Faculty, Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication
  • Rick McGee, Professor, Medical Sciences, Feinberg
  • Baron Reed, Professor, Philosophy, Weinberg
  • Liz Stein, Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Training and Development, The Graduate School
  • Jill Wilson, Professor of Instruction, Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, McCormick
  • Gayle Woloschak, Associate Dean for Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Affairs, The Graduate School and Professor, Radiation Oncology, Feinberg