Successful Faculty Mentoring Relationships at Evangelical Christian Colleges

Abstract

Mentoring continues to be seen as a vitally important process and relationship that can be used as a tool not only for guiding novice faculty into the culture of higher education but also for providing much appreciated value for the senior faculty member who provides the leadership. However, while the concept of mentoring is used frequently in discussions about and within the educational settings of all levels (primary, secondary, higher education), less is known about the nature of faculty mentoring in institutions of higher education, particularly small liberal arts colleges with an evangelical Christian mission statement. This qualitative study examined the characteristics of successful faculty mentoring relationships in these institutions. Extended discussion and analysis of intensive interviews is provided. Implications and applications for faculty development programs in evangelical Christian colleges and universities are discussed along with limitations of the current study and possible future research.