Record level of participation in the New Faculty Mentoring Program

During the 2017-18 academic year, 22 new faculty members are participating in the New Faculty Mentoring Program, tying last year’s historical record. In total over the last ten years, over 150 new faculty members have elected to participate, including 4 new department heads. The participation rate of each new cohort of Assistant Professors and Assistant Teaching Professors has ranged between 70-100%. Making this all possible are about 110 faculty who have served as mentors over that period of time.

WPI’s voluntary program pairs each new faculty participant with one or two mentors who commit to meeting with them regularly during their first year as they begin to develop their own network on campus. The Morgan Teaching and Learning Center does the matchmaking, guided by the new faculty member’s objectives and preferences, and in consultation with their department head. WPI’s program also has a near-peer cohort component, with regular opportunities for early career faculty across departments to share experiences and make connections.

Many thanks to the 50 (!) faculty members, listed below, who formally served as mentors for junior colleagues last year or are doing so this year. This service is usually not visible, yet it’s an important part of what makes WPI a welcoming community that invests time for the success of our new colleagues.