2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Learning from an Omnidirectional Mentorship Program: Identifying Themes and Outcomes through a Qualitative Lens

Presented at Inclusive Leadership: A Panel Discussion

Mentorship has many benefits which may include sharing, reflection, and empathy. Mentoring fosters understanding of others and their perspectives. Being mentored increases one’s potential for success and satisfaction, opening doors for new opportunities in personal and professional growth. Omnidirectional mentorship is a type of organizational structure that emphasizes the collective growth of a community, providing opportunities for collective input and acknowledgment. This mentorship approach allows an individual to take on the role of both mentor and mentee.

A year-long omnidirectional mentorship program was developed and piloted at a Mid-Atlantic university. This pilot program included ten faculty members, each at various stages of their career, from various departments: engineering, computer science, technology, biology, education, and graduate psychology. Assessment of this omnidirectional mentorship program occurred through focus groups. The data from two mid-point focus groups provided insight into the developed relationships among participants through their interactions in structured gatherings. We qualitatively inspected this data through content and thematic analysis to answer our research question: How did participants’ engagement in this omnidirectional-style mentorship program influence their relationship with others inside and outside the mentorship community?

Preliminary findings in this qualitative research study reveal participants expressing and experiencing feelings of affirmation, motivation, and satisfaction in themselves and their personal lives. A participant growth model is developed to represent the participant transformation through the communication of shared experiences, as members in the mentorship community feel and experience safety in the group, exhibit feelings of empathy for others, and feel empowered to act on their problems through the community created.

Authors

Matthew Lewis Caulfield University of Virginia [biography]

Matthew Caulfield is a doctoral student pursing a Masters and Ph.D in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia. Matthew received a B.S. with cum laude in Engineering at James Madison University.
Dr. Daniel Ivan Castaneda http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-8529-3815 James Madison University [biography]

Daniel I. Castaneda is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering at James Madison University. Daniel earned his PhD in 2016 and his Master's in 2010, both in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He previously earned his Bachelor's in 2008 from the University of California, Berkeley. His course development includes civil engineering materials, dynamics, engineering design, engineering economics, first-year engineering experience, matrix analysis, mechanics, probability and risk in engineering, statics, and structural analysis. His research aims to better society by exploring how infrastructure materials can be made to be more environmentally sustainable and resilient; and by exploring how engineering can be structured to be more welcoming of diverse perspectives, which can fuel solutions in challenging societal inequities.
Dr. Melissa Wood Aleman James Madison University [biography]

Dr. Melissa Aleman (Ph.D. University of Iowa) is Professor of Communication Studies at James Madison University and has published research using qualitative interviewing, ethnographic and rhetorical methods to examine communication in diverse contexts. Sh
Dr. Robert L. Nagel James Madison University & Carthage College [biography]

Dr. Robert L. Nagel is Director of Engineering at Carthage College and Professor of Engineering at James Madison University. Dr. Nagel, a mechanical engineer by training, performs research on engineering student learning and engagement with a focus on interventions, pedagogies, and design methodologies. Through his research, he seeks to gain applicable knowledge for increasing student engagement and reducing barriers in engineering, design, and making. At James Madison University, Dr. Nagel has been KEEN Leader, sophomore design coordinator, and Director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering Education. At Carthage College, Dr. Nagel is leading development of two new degree programs: a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

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