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. 2021 Jul 28;79(6):ftab038.
doi: 10.1093/femspd/ftab038.

Intentional mentoring: maximizing the impact of underrepresented future scientists in the 21st century

Haysetta Shuler  1 , Victor Cazares  2 , Andrea Marshall  3 , Edgar Garza-Lopez  3   4 , Rainbo Hultman  5 , Tam'ra-Kay Francis  6 , Tiffany Rolle  7   8 , Mariana X Byndloss  9 , Chrystal A Starbird  10 , Innes Hicsasmaz  11 , Salma AshShareef  11 , Kit Neikirk  12 , Pamela E C Johnson  13 , Zer Vue  3 , Heather K Beasley  3 , Aislinn Williams  14 , Antentor Hinton  3   4
Affiliations

Intentional mentoring: maximizing the impact of underrepresented future scientists in the 21st century

Haysetta Shuler et al. Pathog Dis. .

Abstract

Mentoring is a developmental experience intended to increase the willingness to learn and establish credibility while building positive relationships through networking. In this commentary, we focus on intentional mentoring for underrepresented mentees, including individuals that belong to minority racial, ethnic and gender identity groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) fields. Intentional mentoring is the superpower action necessary for developing harmony and comprehending the purpose and value of the mentor/mentee relationship. Regardless of a mentor's career stage, we believe the strategies discussed may be used to create a supportive and constructive mentorship environment; thereby improving the retention rates of underrepresented mentees within the scientific community.

Keywords: awfulizing; intentional mentoring; mentor; mentoring; minority stress.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The road to being successful as an underrepresented STEM mentee has many challenges. It often feels as though one is climbing a ladder with several missing steps. An effective intentional mentor can help their mentees navigate these tribulations. UR mentors are especially vulnerable to academic and personal issues such as burnout, awfulizing and demoralization (Hinton et al. ; Montgomery 2017). Mentors should seek to help mentees navigate these tribulations while also offering support in developing mentees as a student and a person, through building their networking (Arora et al. ; Masters and Kreeger 2017).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Negative mentoring may have many adverse effects. Negative mentoring can amplify feelings of burnout, pandemic stress, awfulizing and demoralization . Mentors should take care to build a mentees self-esteem and self-compassion to avoid these feelings (Williams, Thakore and McGee ,; Dryden 2020). This can be done through methods such as carefully thought-out word choice that avoids putting too much pressure on mentees and potentially causing demoralization (Ellis and Joffe-Ellis2019).
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