Dear Graduate Mentoring Community
I am thrilled and honored to be assuming the Directorship of the Graduate Mentoring Center (GMC) at this important time. Society is increasingly recognizing and striving to achieve the benefits of diverse, equitable, and inclusive institutions. It is more important than ever, therefore, that persons with diverse characteristics and backgrounds pursue graduate study, succeed in their programs, and move into successful careers building those institutions.
Thanks to the sincere commitment of current and past administrations, the Graduate Mentoring Center is uniquely positioned to help achieve these goals on the Bloomington Campus. The research is clear that thoughtful mentoring is vital for the success of students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. It is my hope that the GMC can provide direct support to these students, as well as be a source of information and expertise for departments and schools around campus that want to grow their own mentoring programs and cultures.
Our first step will be to conduct a strategic assessment to find out what students and other stakeholders need from the Center and determine its current capacity to achieve its mission. As a part of that assessment, I will look forward to talking with many of you in the coming months about the specific ways in which the GMC can best enhance doctoral mentoring at IU-Bloomington.
Sean Nicholson-Crotty, Ph.D.
Paul H. O’Neill Professor
O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs