Sue Feldman, RN, MEd, Ph.D., director, UAB Graduate Programs in Health Informatics, and Wei Li, Ph.D., associate professor, UAB Physician Assistant Studies program, were awarded the UAB Graduate Dean's Excellence in Mentorship Award.
The honor recognizes full-time regular UAB faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments as mentors of graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows. The UAB Graduate School awards these annually because: A mentor is not just an educator. A mentor is a person who inspires and motivates. A mentor is committed to excellence.
Sue Feldman, RN, MEd, Phd, Health Services Administration, Director of Graduate Programs in Health Informatics
What does mentoring mean to me?
"In academia, mentors often take the form of an academic advisor and are measured by the accomplishments of the mentee. In personal lives, mentors often take the form of an elder who helps you see the road you are about to travel. It is hard for me to separate the two and to adhere to the constraints of how society defines mentorship. My style of mentoring is to build a mutually trusted relationship where I have more confidence in the person than they have in themselves, pass along opportunities to them that come my way, and help them see distal and broader options when all they see is what is in front of them. Frequently, I will finish a conversation with someone (who I may or may not have known that I was mentoring) and they will say that the feel inspired, more confident, or comforted. This is critical to me, first because mentoring is not necessarily a formal relationship and secondly because I want them have confidence and trust in their abilities and solace in thought. I believe that the unmeasurable intangibles that come from mentorship can be life changing, build trust, and instill courage and confidence."
Wei Li, PhD, Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, Associate Professor in Physician Assistant Studies program
What does mentoring mean to me?
"Mentoring is more than advising and guidance. It is an enjoyable process for both sides: mentors and mentees. During the process, trust is built, experiences are shared, and successes are celebrated. It is also a rewarding feeling that you strive for creating an open and healthy environment for those who you care."
Including Feldman and Li, UAB will honor 10 Blazers with the 2022 mentorship award April 4, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. at the UAB National Alumni Society House. Award winners will receive a handcrafted, blown-glass green and gold candy dish, as well as a framed certificate and a copy of the letters their mentees and colleagues wrote to nominate them for the honor.
