Having a mentor, especially in the workplace, matters.

The USC College of Nursing Staff Mentoring Program provides a mentoring relationship which creates an environment to foster development, build an inclusive culture, and establish diverse networks to support the mission of the college and university.

After the college’s spring 2020 retreat, the Staff Mentorship Committee was formed to guide, develop and coordinate the new program. This year-long initiative was developed by eight volunteer staff members to provide opportunities for staff to build their personal and professional development goals.

The plan

• Develop a mentorship program for newly hired staff.
• Formal structure of matching staff with mentors based on interests.
• Monthly meetings with assigned mentor to check in and receive feedback on unique scenarios; more collaboration on scholarship.
• Create and implement mentorship teams who offer monthly sessions regarding their team’s area of expertise.
• Ways to grow employees, mentor, communicate leadership development opportunities, professional trainings.

Goal in mind

The purpose of the Staff Mentorship Program is to facilitate staff development and cultivate a sense of community as staff engage in sharing their knowledge and experiences with one another as mentors and mentees.

The program also allowed participants to expand and acquire new skill sets. In Summer 2021, the first cohort of 14 participants kicked off the program. In 2022-2023, the second cohort includes 10 mentor and mentee participants.

Greatest benefits

• Personal and professional growth support.
• Improving my leadership skills and gaining more confidence as I grew professionally.
• Assistance with supervisory challenges.
• Collaborating to improve processes within the college.
• Benefits of this program are limitless.

What they’re saying

"Being able to interact with someone with such a vast expertise and knowledge base around education and academia."

Next steps

“Co-chairing the College of Nursing Staff Mentorship Program with my fellow colleague Melissa Kupfer has been a rewarding experience and given me a chance to build on my leadership skills,” says Faith Young, business director. “The goals of the program center around knowledge transfer between mentors and mentees, the development of new skill sets among participants, and increased engagement and support in the workplace. It’s been exciting to see the growth from this important program.”