Mentoring CommunityKendall Center

Professorship can be a demanding and lonely career. The Mentoring Community hopes to provide professors an opportunity for connection across disciplines and departments that will strengthen a sense of and capacity for community at Gustavus Adolphus College. We are not just professors, and the mentoring community will honor our personal and professional lives. Both speaking and listening to professors at similar and different career stages can be a tool of discernment and support. Feeling heard by a small group of our peers brings dignity and can grow our sense of agency. In small groups, the variety of personalities and perspectives can enrich discussion and create a sense of camaraderie to take into the lecture hall, classroom and wider community. 

In addition to our large group gatherings, your small group has the opportunity to meet on your own in person or online to deepen your connection and accompany each other through the school year. We will provide a list of resources ranging in themes from Diversity, Equity, and Belonging to vocation to burnout that you could choose to engage with as a group over the year. Additionally, in a monthly email, we will also provide simple writing prompts and discussion questions via the mentoring community moodle site to alleviate the need to prepare, read on the side or choose a facilitator. Once a sense of trust and community is created in your small group, it can remain a safe and generative space to come and process, discuss, encourage, brainstorm, discern, connect, unfold, grow and rest.