Comments from Participants in the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Academic Staff Mentoring Program
We are able to maintain a high-quality program because of the commitment
and caliber of the mentors and mentees. Here is what they have to say
about the program:
It reinforced my good qualities and helped me find better ways to deal with some of my weaknesses.
It was especially useful to have a sounding board for discussing interpersonal relationships with colleagues/supervisors and have help developing strategies for addressing issues of office politics.
My mentor has been able to offer sound career development advice based on his own experiences.
[I have] the feeling that there is a person out there who is willing to help unconditionally.
The greatest help of the program has been in the realization that I do have a professional life to nurture and that it is worth doing at this university.
[My mentor] was instrumental in helping me figure out what my goals were and then assisting me in meeting those goals. She invited me to work group meetings, and suggested books, articles, websites and topics that related to my goals.
[I appreciated] expanding my network beyond my department. The outside perspective I gained both from my mentor and from other members of the program was extremely enlightening.
I find the greatest strength of the mentoring program is that it removed my blinders and helped me see outside my unit. I have a view of the rest of the campus that I never had before. This experience is both enlightening and refreshing.
Being able to give a colleague advice and support from small to significant issues is gratifying and helps me understand my job/goals better.
Great management, excellent training, and ongoing support. This program makes a substantial contribution to the quality of work for academic staff at this University . . .
This program is unique from other mentoring programs in that it is flexible enough to address a wide variety of professional development goals/needs.
It was interesting to learn about a completely different UW organization and particularly discuss work and career issues with someone from another setting.
I found my mentee to be a wonderful example of a dedicated and effective employee of the university. . .