Network-based mentorship includes some structured, intentional, and sustained relationships that guide and support an individual’s professional growth. The science of mentorship demonstrates the transformative nature of mentoring networks and relationships, leading to better academic performance, productivity, and professional reputation. High-quality mentoring is an especially powerful mechanism to support faculty from historically marginalized communities through validation of their experiences and affirming their developing professional competencies. Mentoring contributes to the success of individuals throughout their careers but is especially important at moments of transition.
The Office of the Provost offers programs to support faculty at transitional moments in their career. These programs provided tangible knowledge and support, and assist faculty in developing the needed mentorship networks. These programs are designed to complement local programs in the department, division, school or college.
Associate Professors Peer Mentorship Program
Being an associate professor is an important and unique moment in your career. Questions arise during this mid-career moment. Should I begin a new line of scholarship? How should I prioritize and manage the increase in service and leadership requests? What new teaching methods might I explore? What is required to successfully be promoted to full professor? Our peer mentorship program has been designed to support faculty at this important moment in your career.
We will meet once per month, and each 1.5-hour will include 45 minutes with a guest speaker to share tangible information such as mentoring best practices, promotion to full expectations, aligning your service with your values, mid-career scholarship reset, how the university works, Five Paths to Leadership, or topics in teaching. The remainder of the 1.5-hour meeting will include semi-structured conversations with your peers to integrate the topic more personally.
Participants will leave the year with a community of faculty colleagues, a mentorship network map, and increased knowledge the topics discussed.
For the 2026-27 academic year we will meet Tuesdays from 10:00am-11:30am on Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1, Jan. 12, Feb. 9, March 9, April 6 and May 4.
Applications for the Associate Professor Peer Mentorship Program are due September 29, 2026. If you are interested in joining the program midway through the year, please email OtP@uoregon.edu.
As a participant, you will:
- Develop a community of peers from units across campus.
- Experience the professional fulfillment and personal satisfaction that comes with helping a peer.
- Experience responsive and reciprocal mentorship.
- Engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences in the academy.
- Connect with resources to support your ability to thrive mid-career.
- Engage different approaches and tools for leading and mentoring others.
- Experience a mentoring network that augments what may, or may not, be available in your local unit.
- Build out a mentoring network map to support your current goals.
- Learn to work through existing obstacles and overcome challenges/barriers.
- Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking through a coaching mindset.
- Enhance active listening and communicating skills, and avoid the “advice trap”.
Career Faculty Peer Mentorship Program
Our Career Faculty peer mentorship program has been designed to build support and community across campus for Career Faculty. The intended audience includes associate teaching professors, associate clinical professors, associate research professors, associate librarians and professors of practice - in other words, mid-career non-tenure related faculty who have advanced at least one promotional step and who are looking for peer mentorship and community.
We will meet in person once a month, and each 1.5-hour meeting will include 45 minutes with a guest to dive into tangible information such as mentoring best practices, expectations for promotion to full, aligning your service with your values, Five Paths to Leadership, how the university works, or topics in teaching. The remainder of the 1.5-hour meeting will include semi-structured conversations with your peers to integrate the topic more personally.
Participants will leave the year with a community of faculty colleagues, a mentoring network map, and increased knowledge of the topics the group chooses to focus on.
For the 2026-27 academic year we will meet Tuesdays from 1:00-2:30pm on Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1, Jan. 19, Feb. 9, March 2, April 6 and May 4.
Applications for the Career Faculty Peer Mentorship Program are due September 29, 2026. If you are interested in joining the program midway through the year, please email OtP@uoregon.edu.
As a participant, you will:
- Develop a community of peers from units across campus.
- Experience the professional fulfillment and personal satisfaction that comes with helping a peer.
- Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking through a coaching mindset.
- Enhance active listening and communicating skills whilst avoiding the “advice trap”.
- Experience responsive and reciprocal mentorship.
- Learn to work through existing obstacles and overcome challenges/barriers.
- Engage different approaches and tools for leading and mentoring others.
- Experience a mentoring network that augments what may, or may not, be available in your local unit.
- Build out a mentoring network map to support your current goals.
- Connect with resources to support your ability to thrive as you transition to a new stage in your academic career
- Engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences in the academy.
Peer Coaching Program
This program leverages the talents of UO colleagues as peer coaches and pairs them with faculty and staff seeking coaching. Coaching is a personalized, confidential relationship to support individuals in reaching their professional goals, overcoming challenges or professional dilemmas, and maximizing wellness.
Peer coaches will leave the year with further development of non-directive advising and listening skills – important competencies for leading from where you are.
Coachees will experience the gift of time that is completely dedicated to you and the unique circumstances of Higher Education through non-judgmental deep listening.
Coaching pairs will be encouraged to meet every 2-4 weeks from Fall 2026 to Spring 2027, and coaches will be supported throughout the year.
Indicate Your Interest
Both volunteer Peer Coaches and Coachees are invited to indicate interest in the Peer Coaching Program by September 24, 2026.
Sign up via this Qualtrics Form for the UO Peer Coaching Kickoff on Monday, October 12, 2026, 1:00-4:00pm. You can still participate in the Peer Coaching Program even if you are unable to attend the kickoff.
During the Kickoff, you will be introduced to foundational understandings of the peer coach's role and expectations of the coaching process. You will also have focused time for a deeper dive to practice peer coaching skills.
As a participant, you will:
- Develop a coaching community from units across campus.
- Enhance your professional fulfillment and personal thriving.
- Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking through a coaching mindset.
- Enhance active listening and communication skills, and avoid the “advice trap.”
- Define and experience culturally responsive mentorship and coaching.
As a coachee, you will:
- Develop a coaching community of peers from units across the university.
- Experience a trusting peer coaching partnership.
- Connect with resources to support your ability to thrive in your role.
- Learn to work through existing obstacles and overcome challenges/barriers.
- Experience the gift of being deeply heard, understood, and supported by a peer.
As a coach, you will:
- Receive personal satisfaction that comes with helping someone else advance their career.
- Practice and build on the skills associated with coaching, leadership, and communications.
- Engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences in the academy.
- Develop your deep listening skills and engage new approaches for leading and mentoring others.