Abstract

Mentoring programs for new faculty in higher education have the potential to increase and enhance the success of new professors, to renew and inspire senior faculty, and to enhance recruitment and retention efforts of the administration. The College of Education at Kansas State University is the home of a New Faculty Mentoring program that has been in place for over 10 years. The program, designed by a committee of tenure-track professors of education, was created following a year of planning, adopted by faculty assembly, implemented, and then evaluated yearly. To date, the program has involved 28 new faculty and over 30 senior faculty mentors. A comprehensive summative evaluation that included stakeholder interviews and a longitudinal tracking of mentees indicated that the program has met the goals of the college administration, enhanced mentee success, and was beneficial to mentors. This paper will provide the perspectives of administrators, mentors, and mentees regarding the development and the outcomes of the program.