Mentoring as a transformative experience

Graduate student mentoring is a key component of successful university experiences, specifically, improved student retention, completion, and satisfaction. Tensions in application of existing mentoring frameworks create difficulties with university-wide approaches. We used a descriptive qualitative study design to explore graduate students' perspectives about mentoring. We interviewed 54 Canadian participants in 12 focus groups, including masters' (n = 19), unclassified (n = 1), and PhD (n = 34) students from multiple disciplines. Focus groups ranged in size from two to seven students. After transcribing interviews, we used inductive content analysis to develop themes. Students described mentoring as a transformative experience because mentors smoothed their paths. Receiving mentoring required students to advocate for themselves and access university structures that promoted mentoring. Transformative mentoring supported students' aspirational goals. Mentoring strengthens institutional supervisory practices and graduate student retention and success but it requires systematic approaches.Y

Automated summary

Graduate student mentoring is crucial for successful university experiences, improving student retention, completion, and satisfaction. Students view mentoring as transformative, requiring them to advocate for themselves and utilize university structures for support. Systematic approaches are needed to strengthen institutional supervisory practices and support graduate student success.