Faculty Mentoring at Ohio State

Two faculty members sit in a lounge and looks at a shared screen.

Empowering Faculty + Driving Institutional Excellence

When mentoring is embraced and celebrated, faculty are empowered, departments are strengthened, and the university’s academic community as a whole thrives. A culture of mentoring is not simply about individual achievement—it is about building a shared environment where every faculty member can grow, contribute, and succeed. It flourishes in a culture of collaboration and mutual support—one that welcomes diverse ways for faculty to share and access knowledge and expertise and inspires individuals and departments, colleges and universities, to grow stronger together.

The Faculty Mentoring Academy will serve as a central pillar of this effort, designed to cultivate meaningful connections, share expertise, and empower faculty at every career stage. By investing in mentoring, Ohio State affirms its commitment to creating an environment where faculty thrive—where professional growth is sustained, scholarly impact is amplified, and the university’s mission of excellence is realized.

Mutuality | Collaboration | Unity | Reciprocity

Build a culture of mentoring where faculty feel supported, learn from one another, and share their knowledge and expertise in ways that elevate people, departments and the university.

Why Mentoring Matters

Faculty mentoring is a powerful driver of academic success and well‑being. Mentoring centers connection, guidance, collaboration, and shared wisdom. Faculty who receive mentoring report greater clarity around promotion and tenure, stronger productivity, higher satisfaction and improved well‑being. Institutions benefit through stronger onboarding, retention, community and interdisciplinary collaboration. Strong mentoring cultures grow through intentional design, leadership support, inclusive practices and trust‑based engagement.

Job #21_2892369 Ohio State Newark faculty member David Ruderman has created a therapeutic way of using poetry. Ruderman is incorporating poetry writing into the recovery plan of individuals recovering from drug addiction in a Licking County Day Court Program. He talks to Holly about her writing on the steps of the Newark Ohio courthouse. Ohio State Alumni Magazine 04/14/2021 Photo by Jo McCulty The Ohio State University

The impact is clear: Faculty who receive mentoring report greater clarity around promotion and tenure, stronger research productivity, increased job satisfaction, and improved well‑being. Mentoring also provides vital emotional support and reduces isolation—especially for early‑career and underrepresented faculty. Institutions benefit as well: effective mentoring strengthens onboarding, fosters community, boosts retention and builds the networks that fuel innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Universities use a variety of mentoring models to meet diverse needs. Formal programs offer structure and clear expectations; informal mentoring provides personalized, relationship‑driven support; and hybrid approaches—such as peer groups, team mentoring, and learning communities—blend flexibility with shared accountability. Each model contributes to a richer, more inclusive mentoring ecosystem.

Strong mentoring cultures don’t happen by accident—they grow through intentional design, supportive leadership, and accessible resources. Best practices include thoughtful mentor‑mentee matching, consistent communication, ongoing mentor training, and inclusive approaches that recognize the unique experiences of women, faculty of color, international faculty and others navigating systemic barriers. High‑quality mentoring is built on trust, mutual engagement, cultural sensitivity and shared responsibility.

The takeaway: Faculty‑to‑faculty mentoring is one of the most effective ways universities can support professional growth, strengthen community, and advance institutional excellence. When mentoring is embraced and celebrated, everyone benefits—faculty thrive, departments grow stronger, and the entire academic community flourishes.

Benefits

Increases faculty retention
Improves faculty well-being
Expands skill development
Encourages motivation
Clearer tenure and promotion expectations
Strengthens professional networks
Promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration across TIUs

Goals

Support faculty success at every career stage through accessible, equitable mentoring
Share knowledge and expertise that strengthens mentoring relationships and academic work
Strengthen faculty connection and retention
Advance institutional excellence across colleges and TIUs
Build a collaborative, inclusive faculty culture

Guiding principles

Local catalyst for change: Tenure-initiating Units (TIUs) are the cornerstone of faculty mentoring. Tenured full professors are primarily responsible for cultivating, leading, and modeling a mentoring culture in their TIUs.
Champions and advocates: Colleges and regional campuses champion and support the mentoring work of TIUs.
Vision and purpose: Provost office cultivates a shared vision and purpose, articulating clear expectations of faculty across career stages and tracks, and aligning strategies for faculty success with institutional priorities.
Empowerment: Faculty are empowered to invest in and craft their personal mentoring journeys.
Consistent messaging: Affirming messaging around faculty mentoring is clearly and consistently communicated across a variety of platforms, from the provost first and the Office of Academic Affairs as well as by colleges and TIUs.
Collaboration and mutuality: Mentoring culture is positive and affirming, celebrating and encouraging collaboration, reciprocity, and mutual investment in success for individual faculty and TIUs as well as for colleges and the university.
Flexibility and freedom: There is no universal mentoring model. Flexibility, adaptability, and autonomy are essential. Mentoring programs are nimble and free to be responsive to the unique culture and evolving needs of faculty and their TIUs.
Dual approach: Both formal and informal mentoring are essential. Formal mentoring primarily helps clarify expectations and promotion processes, while informal mentoring—often regarded as the most valuable—builds collaboration, fosters community, and promotes knowledge sharing and guidance.
Diversity and inclusion: The diverse personalities, strengths, and mentoring styles of faculty—as well as their varied needs—are acknowledged and affirmed. Contributions to the sharing of knowledge and expertise, in all their forms, are recognized as integral to a thriving academic community.
Celebration: Contributions to mentoring are recognized and honored in a variety of innovative ways that are celebratory and affirming.

2025 University Wide Faculty Mentoring Study

Ohio State has a strong foundation of work dedicated to strengthening faculty mentoring.

The 2021 report The State of Mentoring at The Ohio State University, authored by Philip F. Binkley, James W. Overstreet and Carole Anderson, underscored the importance of intentional, inclusive, and well‑supported mentoring across the institution. Drawing on surveys, listening groups, leadership discussions, and national scholarship, the report identified key challenges—such as uneven access, limited time, and gaps in support for underrepresented faculty—and offered recommendations including a university‑wide definition of mentorship, best‑practice guidelines, expanded mentor training, and the development of tools such as mentoring compacts, individual development plans, and a central coordinating structure.

A person clicks a document icon while user icons float around.

Building on this foundation, a comprehensive, multi‑method study led by Korie Little, Office of Academic Affairs faculty fellow and professor, and supported by, then PhD candidate, Maritza Pierre, CFAES, in 2025 expanded the understanding of mentoring at Ohio State and beyond. The research drew from an extensive review of 21 university‑wide mentoring programs across Big Ten and peer institutions, complemented by interviews with vice provosts and other senior administrators.

To understand mentoring within Ohio State, the study engaged deans and associate deans from all 14 colleges and three regional campuses, analyzed college and campus websites, and conducted two focus groups with 18 department chairs and school directors. Faculty perspectives were captured through two IRB‑approved surveys with 623 tenure‑line faculty respondents (149 assistant professors and 474 tenured faculty), along with six virtual focus groups involving 26 Clinical, Teaching, and Practice (CTP) faculty.

Together, these data sources created a rich, university‑wide picture of faculty mentoring needs, strengths, and opportunities. This work directly informs the vision, goals, and guidelines of faculty mentoring at Ohio State and its ongoing commitment to cultivating a supportive, connected, and empowering environment for all faculty.