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A mentor is not just an educator. A mentor is a person who inspires and motivates. A mentor is committed to excellence. The Dean's Excellence in Mentorship Award recognizes full-time regular UAB faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments as mentors of graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows.

Here are some of the characteristics of an outstanding mentor:

Personality:

  • Demonstrates effective leadership skills
  • Is enthusiastic
  • Is respectful
  • Is unselfish
  • Is patient
  • Is self confident
  • Is honest
  • Is flexible
  • Is sensitive
  • Appreciates individual differences
  • Supports all trainees irrespective of their faculty affiliation

Teaching and Communication:

  • Is an effective communicator
  • Is regarded as an excellent teacher
  • Makes difficult information and concepts understandable
  • Adjusts presentations to audience level
  • Welcomes questions and alternative interpretations
  • Has an open door policy
  • Is a careful listener
  • Encourages creative thinking
  • Teaches the art of critique
  • Coaches people skills, leadership, and teamwork
  • Teaches non-academic skills: administration, management, and budgeting

Leadership:

  • Provides inspiration and optimism
  • Demonstrates ethical conduct of scholarly activity
  • Serves as a role model

Mentoring:

  • Believes in the importance of mentoring
  • Balances guidance and independence
  • Celebrates trainee successes
  • Treats all trainees as colleagues
  • Understands differences among cultural, gender, and ethnic groups
  • Solicits advice from other experienced mentors
  • Advises trainees to seek out multiple mentors
  • Promotes network building
  • Promotes personal and intellectual growth of trainees
  • Provides opportunities for skills development
  • Hones communication skills, research presentations, and teaching
  • Assists with manuscript preparation
  • Directs development of grant proposals
  • Serves as a career advisor
  • Fosters independence
  • Supports career objectives of students and postdocs
  • Wants trainees to be successful
  • Assists trainees with identifying and securing their next career opportunity
  • Stays in touch after trainees have completed their training
  • Derives great satisfaction from following the successful career trajectories of previous trainees

Submit Nomination

 

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