2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A Proposed Model for Sustaining Mentee-Mentor Relationships to Support Early Career Engineers’ Transitions into Industry

Presented at College Industry Partnerships Division (CIP) Technical Session 4

The transition from engineering education to industry presents significant challenges for early career engineers, including navigating professional expectations, accessing guidance, and developing the skills necessary for workplace success. Mentorship has been recognized as a critical mechanism to support this transition; however, structured approaches to sustaining mentee-mentor relationships during this transition remain limited. This paper proposes a model, grounded in theory, literature, and empirical data, for sustaining mentorship through early career transitions, informed by the perspectives of both mentees and their identified effective mentors.
Building on prior research emphasizing the value of cultivating a network of mentors who collaboratively guide career development, offer emotional support, and help mentees refine their professional goals [1]; this study also integrates recent scholarship underscoring the importance of mentoring cultures characterized by reciprocity, relational depth, and growth-fostering interactions [2]. Together, these perspectives point to mentorship as a dynamic and evolving process that extends beyond individual relationships to a broader mentoring culture.
This proposed model draws from established frameworks in mentorship, menteeship, and workforce development, including the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) mentoring competencies [3], [4], strategies for success for mentees [5], and the Workforce Sustainability Model [6]. Data for this study include interviews with 23 early career engineers or mentees (0–5 years of professional experience) and 8 of their identified effective mentors across engineering disciplines. These interviews were analyzed using inductive and deductive analysis to identify mentoring competencies, structural supports, and relational strategies that contribute to sustained and effective mentorship.
Findings from our qualitative analysis posit that effective mentorship extends beyond traditional top-down guidance to form an effective relationship characterized by reciprocity, personal support, social capital activation, and intentional relationship maintenance. Mentors emphasized the value of mentees’ proactive engagement, while mentees highlighted the effectiveness of nuanced, goal-oriented mentoring approaches. Both groups underscored the importance of cultivating a community of mentors and establishing organizational or professional structures that provide resources and spaces to sustain effective mentoring. Based on these insights, this paper proposes a model emphasizing sustainable relationship building between mentors and mentees, integration of personal and professional support, and organizational structures that sustain mentoring relationships over time. The model identifies key components of effective mentorship across individual, relational, and institutional levels, highlighting its reciprocal nature and the need for research-informed practices that promote long-term sustainability.
This study contributes to engineering education and college-industry partnership literature by proposing a framework to sustain mentorship during early career transitions, encouraging dialogue on effective practices, evaluation of mentoring ecosystems, and clearer roles for mentors, mentees, and organizations.

Authors

Dr. Elizabeth Volpe http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5755-8142 [biography]

Elizabeth is a postdoc at the University of Florida. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering as well as a certificate in engineering leadership from the University of Florida. Elizabeth received a B.S. in civil engineering from Clemson University (Clemson, SC). Her research sits at the intersection of responsible AI, workforce transitions, social sustainability, and human-centered technology in civil engineering, leveraging emerging technologies to enhance sustainable engineering design, career preparedness, mentorship systems, and resilient infrastructure in socially responsible and inclusive ways.
Dr. Denise Rutledge Simmons P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3401-2048 University of Florida [biography]

Denise R. Simmons, Ph.D., PE, F.ASEE, PMP, LEED-AP is a distinguished figure in civil engineering education and workforce development. With tenure at the University of Florida's Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, she blends deep academic knowledge with hands-on industry experience. With over three decades of work experience in positions across consulting, professional engineering, and academia, Dr. Simmons has served in diverse roles, from leadership positions in for-profit entities to guiding minority-serving institutions.

As the inaugural Associate Dean for Workforce Development in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, her leadership highlights her unparalleled foresight and industry relevance. She has dedicated over a decade to engineering leadership roles in industry.

Her pioneering research, backed by $9M in federal funding and resulting in over 100 refereed articles, positions her at the nexus of civil engineering education and real-world applications. In 2023, her contributions earned her the grade of Fellow Member in the American Society for Engineering Education.

A fervent advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in engineering, Dr. Simmons champions a business ethos where inclusivity aligns with profitability and societal impact. Esteemed in academia, Dr. Simmons' advisory role for numerous NSF grants underscores her reputation. Her expertise in deciphering industry challenges and tailoring solutions is unmatched, making her a sought-after consultant for academic institutions and businesses aiming to navigate the evolving engineering landscape.
Dr. Joi-Lynn Mondisa http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-3959-6548 University of Michigan [biography]

Joi Mondisa is an Associate Professor in the Industrial & Operations Engineering Department and Graduate Program Director of the Engineering Education Research Program at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on mentoring practices, programs, and experiences as well as professional development in STEM. Prior to her graduate studies, Dr. Mondisa spent 10 years working as a professional in manufacturing, operations, technical sales, and publishing. During that time, she also taught engineering technology courses at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois, for seven years. She earned a B.S. in General Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, an M.B.A. from Governors State University, an M.S. in Industrial Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

« View session

For those interested in:

engineering
professional