"Moving the Science Forward": Faculty Perceptions of Culturally Diverse Mentor Training Benefits, Challenges, and Support.

Abstract

There is a pressing need for deeper cultural awareness among postsecondary faculty, yet few studies focus on institutions with developing research infrastructure, which enroll large proportions of racially minoritized students. Using social exchange theory, we investigate faculty members’ perceptions of “culturally diverse mentor training,” which includes culturally aware mentor (CAM) training, Entering Mentoring, and self-designed mentor training initiatives. Data come from qualitative interviews with 74 faculty who participated in culturally diverse mentor training activities across 10 master’s and doctoral institutions in the early stages of implementing grant-funded interventions focused on determining the most effective ways to engage and retain racially minoritized students in biomedical research. Findings indicate that faculty perceived a deepened understanding of their mentees’ challenges and developed enhanced communication strategies to better appreciate cultural differences. Faculty reported several challenges, such as difficulty in adopting culturally sustaining practices, balancing multiple commitments internal and external of grant requirements, and dissatisfaction with facilitators from outside their disciplines. They also described supportive structures that decreased their mentoring workload, such as complementary curricula and tiered mentoring models. We conclude with implications for higher education leaders interested in adapting and scaling culturally diverse mentor training interventions within their own departments and institutions.