Exploring the role of faculty and staff mentors in fostering ethical leadership among undergraduate students: “We have to narrow the distance”

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this interdisciplinary study is to identify the aspects that faculty, student affairs educators and students indicate as salient for effective mentoring relationships that enhance ethical leadership development.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory qualitative inquiry used the Relational-Ethical-Affective-Dialogic (READ) mentoring model as a framework to examine the experiences of 13 undergraduate mentees and faculty/staff mentors in a formal mentoring program. Each study participant engaged in one semi-structured interview. Researchers coded and analyzed data using the sort and sift, think and shift process identifying power quotes to guide the thematic analysis.FindingsThe data collected in this study revealed insights into the aspects of mentor relationships that both undergraduate mentees and their mentors perceived as contributing to students' ethical leadership development. Salient elements included: (1) relational features of the mentee-mentor dynamic including trust and reciprocity; (2) structural features of the mentoring program including its focus on ethics; and (3) mentoring approaches that were attentive to power and positionality within the mentoring relationship and involved professional judgment about self-disclosure.Originality/valueThis study adds to the literature by exploring effective mentoring for ethical leadership development across disciplines. With colleges and universities serving a vital role in preparing the next generation of leaders for ethical engagement in their democratic and professional roles after graduation, it is imperative to broaden our understanding of how faculty and staff can support students' ethical leadership development.

Mentoring leaders of tomorrow: insights on the role of college directors

“…The findings derived from college directors appear promising, in line with the image of a faculty mentor in several studies (Baker and Griffin, 2010;Campbell et al, 2012;Cornelius et al, 2016;Light, 2001;McWilliams, 2017;Pfister, 2004;Shalka et al, 2019). As leaders of the highest rank in their educational organizations, they were in the most rightful position of power to plan, invent and lead the development of student leaders in their colleges in their capacity as professional faculty mentors (Evans et al, 2022;Nottingham and Mazerolle, 2018).…”

“…, 2019). As leaders of the highest rank in their educational organizations, they were in the most rightful position of power to plan, invent and lead the development of student leaders in their colleges in their capacity as professional faculty mentors (Evans et al. , 2022; Nottingham and Mazerolle, 2018).…”

“…Mentoring has emerged in recent decades as a critical aspect of student leadership development. Mentoring is integral to young adults' understanding of leadership and relationship-building and is an influential contributor to leadership development (Crisp and Alvarado-Young, 2018; Evans et al. , 2022; Shalka et al.…”

“…Mentoring is integral to young adults' understanding of leadership and relationship-building and is an influential contributor to leadership development (Crisp and Alvarado-Young, 2018;Evans et al, 2022;Shalka et al, 2019). Considering the value of mentoring in student leadership development and the need for greater clarity on this relationship, scholars have developed a range of designs, frameworks and models of mentoring (Campbell et al, 2012;Crisp and Alvarado-Young, 2018;Dawson, 2014;Hastings and Kane, 2018).…”

“…Literature on mentoring in higher education has since expanded substantially. Mentoring is no longer confined to faculty members (Dugan and Komives, 2010), youth development practitioners (Komives and Dugan, 2014), student affairs professionals, academic advisors or school personnel (Evans et al, 2022); in recent years, mentoring research has also extended to analyzing peer mentoring and its benefits (Crisp and Alvarado-Young, 2018;Hirsch et al, 2021). Despite this broadening of mentoring literature, previous studies have focused more on the relationship between faculty mentors and student mentees (Dugan and Komives, 2010;Morales et al, 2016).…”