Deadline to Apply for the Mutual Mentoring Grant Program

The Mutual Mentoring program supports faculty at any career stage in developing robust mentorship networks, within and outside of Rutgers University, to combat isolation and ensure all faculty have the resources they need to thrive.

The Mutual Mentoring Program, developed at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, is an established vehicle for providing comprehensive support to faculty that also gives them agency in defining the modes of support that will be most useful to support their success.

“Mutual Mentoring” distinguishes itself from the traditional 'top-down' model of mentoring by:

• Encouraging the development of non-hierarchical, collaborative networks where each person provides specific areas of knowledge and experience.
• Forming network relationships that benefit both the person traditionally known as the “mentee” as well as the person traditionally known as the “mentor.”

Mutual mentoring has been proven to support faculty by helping them to develop their professional identities, promoting their well-being and job satisfaction, and improving productivity. Studies consistently find that mutual mentoring relationships lead to increased research output, more effective teaching, more dynamic networks, and improved tenure and promotion prospects. It nurtures vital social connections with colleagues who can provide advice, encouragement, and feedback over the course of a faculty member’s professional life.