This page offers practical guidance for faculty and programs to foster mentoring relationships that are clear, consistent, and supportive throughout the graduate experience.
Whether you’re mentoring a first-year graduate student or guiding a doctoral candidate through dissertation completion, these best practices are designed to help you:
- Build inclusive and respectful mentoring relationships
- Conduct meaningful annual reviews that support student progress
- Encourage students to develop mentoring networks that reflect their academic and professional goals
Explore the sections below for actionable recommendations, tools, and examples that can help you strengthen your mentoring practice and support student success at every stage.
Inclusive Mentoring Practices
Inclusive mentoring involves creating a supportive, respectful, and equitable environment that acknowledges and values the diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences of each student.
Effective inclusive mentoring not only enhances student success and well-being but also contributes to a more vibrant and innovative academic community.
The following practices and tips are drawn from the Final Report of the UCGS Subcommittee on Graduate Mentoring and Advising and are intended to guide faculty in fostering inclusive, student-centered mentoring relationships.
Acknowledge Varied Experience and Perspectives
Be mindful that individuals bring a wide range of experiences, values, and perspectives to their academic journey. Avoid making assumptions based on background or interests, and support students in pursuing research and professional goals that are meaningful to them.
Promote Connection and Community
Create opportunities for all students to feel included in academic and social settings. Facilitate introductions to peers, faculty, and communities with shared or complementary interests, and encourage participation in campus groups and interdisciplinary networks.
Avoid Generalizations and Affirm Individual Strengths
Treat each student as an individual with unique potential and goals. Avoid placing expectations on students to represent broader groups or perspectives. Focus on recognizing their distinct contributions and broadening your understanding of the many ways success can be demonstrated in graduate education.
Support Career Diversity
Acknowledge and validate non-academic career paths. Help students identify transferable skills and connect with professional development resources. Refer to Pitt’s postdoctoral and alumni career services for guidance.
Promote Accessibility and Flexibility
Be mindful of students’ needs related to life circumstances (i.e., disability, caregiving, financial hardship, etc.). Offer flexible meeting times and modes of communication. Direct students to campus resources for mental health, financial aid, and academic support.
Build Mentoring Networks
Graduate school is a journey best taken with a team.
We encourage students to build a diverse mentoring network—one that extends beyond their department, discipline, or even university. Consider support connections with mentors from industry, alumni networks, and interdisciplinary fields.
A strong network can offer guidance, encouragement, and opportunities from multiple perspectives.
Why Mentoring Networks Matter
- Broader Support: A single mentor can’t meet every need. A network of mentors can offer academic, professional, and personal support.
- Cross-Disciplinary Insight: Mentors from other fields can help students think creatively and explore interdisciplinary research.
- Career Connections: Alumni and industry mentors can provide real-world advice, job leads, and professional introductions.
Tools to Get Started
- NCFDD Mentor Map: Students can use this tool to visualize their current support systems and identify gaps. It helps students think strategically about who’s in their corner—and who could be.
- Graduate Mentoring Page: Explore resources, templates, and tips for initiating and maintaining mentoring relationships.
Group Mentoring: Learning in Community
Group mentoring offers a collaborative space where students can learn from each other and from multiple mentors at once.
Benefits of Group Mentoring
- Shared Experiences: Discuss challenges and successes with peers who understand the graduate experience.
- Expanded Networks: Meet students and professionals who may introduce you to new mentors or opportunities.
- Skill Building: Practice communication, presentation, and feedback skills in a supportive environment.
- Practical Advice: Get tips on academic writing, grant applications, job searches, and more.
Example:
A doctoral student in rehabilitation science joins a monthly group mentoring circle with peers from public health and engineering. Through these sessions, they receive feedback on a grant proposal, connect with an alum working in biotech, and gain confidence presenting their research to non-specialist audiences.
Conflict Resolution
At the University of Pittsburgh, mentoring relationships are built on mutual respect, clear communication, and shared academic goals. However, challenges may arise that require thoughtful resolution—here are some tips.
Step 1: Start with Direct Communication
If a student or faculty mentor feels the mentoring relationship is not working effectively:
- Initiate a respectful, honest conversation to clarify concerns.
Example: A student unsure about dissertation expectations might request a meeting to discuss timelines and feedback processes.
Step 2: Seek Departmental Mediation
If direct dialogue doesn’t resolve the issue:
- Contact the program’s Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) or department chair.
- These individuals can serve as informal mediators and help identify constructive solutions.
- Focus on problem-solving, not assigning blame.
Step 3: Consider a Changing Your Mentor
In some cases, transitioning to a new mentor may be appropriate:
- An advisor or DGS can assist in identifying a new mentor.
- Ensure continuity by transferring research materials and documentation smoothly.
- Handle transitions with professionalism and care.
Step 4: Contact School-level Support
If departmental mediation is unsuccessful:
- Use any school-level supports to help resolve the issue.
Step 5: Use Formal Grievance Procedures
If informal efforts fail:
- Consult the University’s Guidelines on Academic Integrity for formal grievance processes if applicable.
- These procedures protect the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved.
Conflict Resolution Resources and Reporting Tools
Navigating mentoring relationships can be complex, and challenges may occasionally arise. This section outlines supportive resources and pathways—such as graduate associate deans and ombudspersons—to help graduate students and mentors resolve conflicts constructively and maintain a healthy academic environment.
School Graduate Associate Deans (GADs): Graduate Associate Deans are typically senior faculty or administrators appointed to oversee graduate education within a specific school, college, or division. Their responsibilities often include academic oversight, policy implementation, strategic initiatives and student support.
School Ombudspersons (ombuds): An ombudsperson assists Pitt graduate students and postdocs with resolving conflicts and issues that arise in the course of their education and training that they believe have not or cannot be addressed within their academic department. The ombudsperson can mediate conflicts and inform students about relevant policies and grievance procedures.
Pitt Concern Connection: Students and faculty can use the Pitt Concern Connection for many ethics and compliance topics, including Title IX, workplace discrimination, financial controls, and more. By asking questions and sharing concerns, you help to create a stronger, safer University community.
Individual School-Level Support
School deans, program chairs and coordinators, and other administrators in individual schools can also be great resources when resolving conflicts.