Faculty Mentorship in Higher Education: A Responsibility We Too Often Overlook
In higher education, we spend a great deal of time thinking about teaching.
We design courses, refine lectures, and experiment with modalities, technologies, and assessments. All of that work matters.
But there is another dimension of our role that is less formal, less structured, and often more influential over time: mentorship.
Not advising. Not grading. Not office hours tied to an assignment.
Mentorship.
Why Mentorship Matters, for Both Sides
At its core, mentorship is relational rather than transactional. It is not bound by a syllabus or a semester timeline. It is a sustained investment in a person’s growth.
For students, the value is clear. Research from Gallup and others has shown that students who have a mentor during college are significantly more likely to be engaged in their work after graduation and report higher levels of well-being. The presence of even one meaningful faculty relationship can influence persistence, confidence, and long-term direction.
But the benefit is not one-sided.
For faculty, mentorship often becomes one of the most rewarding aspects of the profession. It provides a longer view of impact than teaching alone. A lecture may influence a week. A course may shape a semester. A mentorship relationship can influence years.
I have experienced this from both sides.
As a student, I was fortunate to have several strong mentors at different stages of my academic career. These relationships were rarely formal. They developed through conversations, encouragement, and small moments of attention that extended beyond the classroom. Looking back, many of my decisions and much of my confidence can be traced to those interactions.
As a faculty member and administrator, I have had the opportunity to mentor both students and staff. There is a particular satisfaction in watching someone grow into a role, gain confidence, and achieve outcomes they did not initially believe were possible. The mentor’s role may be small, but it is meaningful.
Why Faculty Are Uniquely Positioned to Mentor
Faculty are uniquely positioned to serve as mentors.
We have proximity. We see students regularly and observe their development over time.
We have credibility. Students look to us not just for content knowledge, but for insight into academic and professional pathways.
We have perspective. We can connect present effort to long-term goals.
And we have access to networks, opportunities, and experiences that students often cannot yet see.
Why Students Need Mentors More Than We Might Assume
Students today are navigating increasing complexity. Career pathways are less defined. Financial and personal pressures are more common. Many are balancing multiple responsibilities at once.
At the same time, higher education has scaled. Larger class sizes, expanded online offerings, and growing administrative demands can make the student experience feel more transactional if we are not careful.
In that environment, mentorship matters even more.
A mentor can provide clarity, encouragement, and perspective. Even brief, consistent interactions can make a difference. A student who feels seen is more likely to engage, persist, and take intellectual risks.
Are Mentorship Relationships Declining?
There is reason to believe that mentorship is becoming less common, or at least less visible. Not because faculty are unwilling, but because the structure of our work has changed. Increased workloads, larger classes, and digital learning environments reduce the likelihood that these relationships form naturally.
Mentorship is not disappearing, but it is no longer something we can assume will happen on its own.
Getting Started: It Does Not Require a Program
The good news is that mentorship does not require a formal program.
It often begins with attention.
Noticing a student who is engaged or curious.
Following up after a meaningful comment or question.
Inviting a conversation that goes beyond the course.
Offering guidance on next steps, internships, or career paths.
It can be as simple as saying, “If you ever want to talk more about this, feel free to reach out.”
From there, the relationship may develop. Or it may not. That is part of the process.
There is no need to mentor dozens of students. In most cases, the most meaningful impact comes from a small number of relationships.
Start with one.
A Role Worth Elevating
In many ways, mentorship has always been part of the faculty role. It has simply not been named or prioritized in the same way as teaching and research.
That may be worth reconsidering.
If we think about the long-term impact we hope to have, mentorship is not secondary. It is one of the primary ways we influence not just what students know, but who they become.
This is not a call for sweeping change.
It is a suggestion to pay closer attention, to recognize moments where mentorship can begin, and to see it as part of the work we are already doing.
Some of the most important things we do as faculty do not happen in a lecture.
They happen in conversations that continue long after the course ends.