Mentoring Resources

At every stage of your training, Pitt offers resources to help you grow as both a mentee and a mentor. As a trainee, building a strong network of mentors and learning how to engage effectively in those relationships is key to your development as an independent researcher. Similarly, mentoring others is a skill that can be developed through intentional practice and training. This page brings together resources and training opportunities to help you strengthen both sides of the mentoring relationship and make the most of your experience at Pitt and beyond.

Use the chart below to see which training is right for you.

Which describes you?	Training that Fits Your Stage* *Visit the OACD Essential Skills Series page to see when the session is being offered or view a recording, if available. Alternatively, visit the OACD Video Library to find a recording.
I am new to being a mentee at Pitt.	Maximizing the Mentee Experience Details Mentoring relationships are an essential part of any career journey, but they are not always easy to navigate, particularly in the role of the mentee. During this session, we will provide you with guidance regarding how to cultivate a mentoring network, what it means to be a mentee, how to identify and cultivate new mentors, what makes for a successful mentor/mentee relationship, and how to manage a multitude of difficult situations that may arise in these relationships. This session will be interactive, so please be sure that you are in an environment that will allow you to engage verbally and come prepared with any questions you may have! This session is targeted towards postdocs and graduate students.
I am a mentee who is also mentoring high school or undergraduate students.	Tips for Mentoring in Summer Research Programs Details This session is designed to help support new and novice mentors at all stages who will be mentoring undergraduates and high school students in structured summer programs and related efforts. The workshop will share strategies for both building a strong foundation to the mentor-mentee relationship and addressing unique challenges to working with less experienced trainees. If you’re relatively new to mentoring or are just looking for ways to better engage your students, please spend an hour with us at this informative session. Summer program directors and faculty are also welcome to attend.
I am an early-stage researcher developing my mentoring skills.	Entering Mentoring: Maximizing Mentoring Skills Details Taking on the responsibility of being a mentor requires new skills and knowledge that are not typically addressed in academic training programs, though evidence-based approaches have emerged to help new mentors build and maintain successful mentoring relationships. We invite you to attend this workshop to learn about these current best practices in mentoring that will equip you with the tools necessary to be a successful mentor. You will develop vital strategies to cultivate and manage productive mentoring relationships that will contribute to the professional success of your mentees and that will provide you with personal satisfaction throughout your career.
I am an advanced trainee ready to take my mentoring skills to the next level.	Mentoring Academy Participants can attend one session or attend all three sessions to complete all competencies and earn a credential. This builds upon the curriculum provided through the National Research Mentoring Network. Learn more about the academy here. Part 1: Introduction to Mentor Training The first of three, this session will provide an opportunity to discuss the different roles that mentors and mentees play, and covers the first four competencies in the Mentoring Academy: Introduction (Competency #1), Communication (Competency #2), Aligning Expectations (Competency #3), and Assessing Understanding (Competency #4). Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the principles of effective mentoring through interactive case studies. Part 2: Addressing Equity and Inclusion This second session will, through interactive case studies, provide an opportunity to discuss best practices in Addressing Equity and Inclusion (Competency #5). Mentoring Academy members, who are trained faculty recognized for their contributions to mentoring at the University of Pittsburgh, will facilitate the session. Part 3: Fostering Independence, Promoting Professional Development, and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy This final session of the Mentoring Academy series will provide an opportunity to discuss best practices in Fostering Independence (Competency #6), Promoting Professional Development (Competency #7), and Promoting Professional Development and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan (Competency #8). Sessions are conducted through interactive case studies. Mentoring Academy members, who are trained faculty recognized for their contributions to mentoring at the University of Pittsburgh, will facilitate the session.

Resources for Mentees

Pitt Resources for Mentees

Pitt Commons: Grow your network of mentors with this platform that connects Pitt students, staff, faculty, and alumni! Connect your Pitt Commons profile to your LinkedIn page to message prospective mentors across academic disciplines, industry sectors, or locations.
Pitt Center for Mentoring: A key partner for the OACD, Pitt's Center for Mentoring hosts workshops on growing as both a mentor and a mentee. Visit their website to explore programs and resources and meet the workshop facilitators.

Additional Resources for Mentees

Postdoc Academy Activities for Mentees: The Postdoc Academy hosts a series of 10 modules to enhance your experience as a mentee on topics such as setting expectations, building an actionable career plan, developing transferable skills, and more. Hear from fellow postdocs about their mentee experiences and explore additional resources related to the topics of each module.
Mentee Support Resources: This resource page from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) includes tools and toolkits for mentees and their mentors, including a Mentorship Agreement Library, Individual Development Plan library, Writing & Communication support, and more.
The Science of Menteeship and Mentorship: Learn about the research on the benefits of mentoring relationships for mentors and mentees through these publications curated by CIMER.
Get the Mentoring You Need: In this Inside Higher Education article, learn how to cultivate a network, or team, of mentors to assist you with different areas of professional growth.
Mentoring Constellations: In this Inside Higher Education article, learn about different types of mentors and the roles they play in your success.
Becoming a Good Mentor and Mentee: This webinar from the National Postdoc Association (NPA) provides guidance on how to engage in effective mentoring interactions, particularly for trainees serving as mentors to graduate or undergraduate students and as mentees in their relationshp with a principal investigator.
A Postdoc's Guide to Mentorship: This guide from the NPA focuses on both the mentor and mentee side of the postdoc experience, providing helpful suggestions and Case Studies that explore how to manage challenging mentor/mentee situations.

Resources for Mentors

Pitt Resources for Mentors

Pitt Center for Mentoring: A key partner for the OACD, Pitt's Center for Mentoring hosts workshops on growing as both a mentor and a mentee. Visit their website to explore programs and resources and meet the workshop facilitators.
Become a Mentor - Pitt Commons: This platform is designed to connect Pitt students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Create a Pitt Commons profile and show your interest in mentoring by sharing your availability. Prospective mentees, such as undergraduates, grad students, or recent alumni, will message you. This platform might be particularly helpful if you are looking to develop skills in online mentoring or work with mentees in different disciplines or career sectors.
Pitt Mentoring & Advising Community Circles (PMACC): Sponsored by the Provost's Office for Student Success, PMACCs are communities of practice for those who mentor undergraduate students that meet montly via Zoom and share resources via Microsoft Teams. Check out their website to see meeting schedules for each group, including a group for new mentors, and to access resources.
Pitt Mentoring & Advising Workshops and Events: Sponsored by the Provost's Office for Student Success, these webinars include workshops on essential mentoring skills like active listening, coaching, and how to manage your time as a mentor. Click here to see live webinar schedule or access recordings of past webinars.
Pitt Mentoring & Advising Summit: Sponsored by the Provost's Office for Student Success, this annual national conference attracts participants from more 130 universities with the shared goal of promoting best practices in mentoring and creating a network to support student success. Visit their webpage to access an archive of recorded sessions from past conferences covering topics related to the effective mentoring of undergraduate students.

Additional Resources for Mentors

The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine has developed a comprehensive toolkit for effective mentors that includes advice for developing a culture of mentorship, Independent Development Plans, mentorship compacts, mentoring maps, and more.
Postdoc Academy Mentor Toolkits: The Postdoc Academy offers 10 toolkits and 4 webinar workshops for enhancing your mentorship skills. Toolkits address topics such as setting expectations, building an actionable career plan, developing resilience, strategic networking, and more, with video insights from both mentors and mentees.
Mentor Support Resources: This resource page from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) includes tools and toolkits for mentees and their mentors, including a mentorship agreement library, Individual Development Plan (IDP) library, writing and communication support, resources for mentorship skill development, and more.
Raising a Resilient Scientist: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed five webinars on effective mentorsip geared towards biomedical and health sciences faculty, staff scientists, and administrators who mentor students and postdocs. Visit this link to see when the webinars are being offered and register to attend.
Mentorship: Efficient and Effective Practices: Create a free NCFDD account to view this webinar in which Harvard Medical School professor, Dr. Adaira Landry, discusses the holistic benefits of mentoring and how to prioritize your time to mentor effectively.
Becoming a Good Mentor and Mentee: This webinar from the National Postdoc Association (NPA) provides guidance on how to engage in effective mentoring interactions, particularly for trainees serving as mentors to graduate or undergraduate students and as mentees in their relationshp with a principal investigator.
A Postdoc's Guide to Mentorship: This guide from the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) focuses on both the mentor and mentee side of the postdoc experience, providing helpful suggestions and Case Studies that explore how to manage challenging mentor/mentee situations.