The Experiences of Mentors and Mentees with Mentorship in the Agricultural Education Discipline

Abstract

While mentorship is valued and studied across disciplines, it is not well known within the broadly defined discipline of agricultural education. This study consisted of interviews with mentors and mentees in the discipline to understand why they engaged in the mentorship process and what affected their mentoring relationships. There were 12 participants in the project, equally split between mentors and mentees. There were two themes for why participants engaged in mentorship: Mentorship is an opportunity to learn and people seek out mentorship for guidance. There were five themes for what affected participants’ mentoring relationships: Personal experiences and values drive mentorship, compatibility influences mentorship, mentorship is a personal relationship, communication preferences vary, and comparisons of formal and informal mentorship. For mentees, it was recommended that they take ownership of their mentoring experiences, including cultivating multiple mentors to meet various needs. For mentors, it was recommended to focus on mentees’ needs and fostering connections between their mentees and other potential mentors. While they were not preferred by participants, formal mentorship programs are still recommended to help ensure all junior faculty are served in the discipline. To ensure their success, efforts need to be made to ensure a good fit between mentors and mentees. Programs also need a clear structure, training for mentors, and ongoing evaluation to adapt to participants’ needs. Future research is needed to assess more aspects of mentorship in the discipline, including graduate students and tenured faculty members mentorship needs.