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LEADME MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

 Program
Plan

Resources & Forms

Program Objectives

Mentee Program Activities

Program
Cohorts

Adapted from the successful NCURA Leadership Development Institute designed by Gale S. Wood, Consultant, the NCURA, Region VI, Education and Professional Development (E&PD) Committee has developed a modified program to strengthen and increase the number of new and emerging leaders to serve our profession and NCURA at the regional and national levels.

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The one-year program focuses on providing educational and professional development experiences to selected Mentees.

Program Plan

PROGRAM PLAN

The “LEAD Me” Program pairs one Mentee with a Primary Mentor who serves as the main contact to assist in identifying leadership and professional development goals and objectives. They will also help the Mentee formulate a Leadership and/or Professional Development (L&PD) Plan, a critically important element of the Program. This Plan will include the identification of a Personal Best Leadership Project through which the Mentee will demonstrate use of Kouzes & Posner's 5 practices and 10 commitments of successful leaders. Lastly, the Primary Mentor helps in identifying short term Supplementary Mentors to form a Mentee's Support Team to provide specialized knowledge of skills needed for the implementation of the Mentee's L&PD Plan.

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At times, experienced professionals and leaders are being paired with a recent mentee graduate who has shown interest in giving back by becoming a mentor. These graduates will be paired together to mentor the assigned mentee. This collaborative approach aims to create a dynamic mentorship trio, fostering a rich exchange of insights and experiences


Use of multiple mentors ensures that each Mentee is afforded an opportunity to have their needs for specialized knowledge and skills maximally addressed. No single Mentor, then, is expected to address the comprehensive range of expectations or needs of their assigned Mentee. Finally, this overall approach to mentoring should result in increased volunteer involvement and participation from NCURA, Region VI & VII members.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

  • Create a supportive and interactive e-learning environment where Program participants and the membership can share knowledge to help guide selected Mentees through the leadership development process

  • Provide access to e-tools on a range of leadership and professional development topics to contribute to the development of new Region VI & VII leaders

  • Increase interest and foster long term careers in sponsored research

  • Provide opportunities to form, increase and strengthen professional contacts and relationships among the region's members

  • Further strengthen professional networks within the region's research community and beyond

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Program Objectives

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

LeadMe Program Co-chairs (reporting to the Education & Professional Development Committee)

  • Provide overall leadership of the program

  • Ensure continuity of operations: calls, schedules, recruitment, assignment of roles and responsibilities

  • Identify leaders and experts outside the program to lead Professional Development series presentations

  • Organize and serve as Chair/Co-Chair of LeadMe Subcommittee; convene as needed to review program objectives and progress, or to resolve operational or programmatic challenges

  • Report to Chair of Education and Professional Development (EPDC) Committee on program goals, progress and challenges

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Mentee

  • Active participation in planned activities

  • Establish measurable and achievable leadership and/or professional development goals and objectives for your L&PD Plan

  • Develop a Personal Best Leadership Project, in consultation with Mentor

  • Interact with Mentor regularly

  • Minimum of two contacts per month

  • Be available, responsive and respectful of time commitments

  • Complete assignments in a timely manner

  • Proactively communicate needs to Mentor and Co-Chairs

  • Remain open to feedback

  • Seek opportunities to continually grow professionally and to contribute to NCURA

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Mentor

  • Assist Mentee in setting their goals and objectives

  • Help the Mentee establish measurable and achievable leadership and/or professional development (L&PD) Plan

  • Help the Mentee devise a viable Personal Best Leadership Project

  • Be accessible to Mentee based on a mutually agreed upon schedule

  • 2 times per month minimum

  • Enthusiastically share information, skills and knowledge

  • Provide constructive feedback

  • Serve as a thoughtful listener and supportive advisor

  • Encourage opportunities for professional growth within the profession and volunteer contributions to NCURA, both regionally and nationally

Roles and Responsibilities
Program Criteria

PROGRAM CRITERIA

  • Mentee selection criteria

    • Applicants who are not supervisors or are new supervisors will be given preference

    • Personal Statement, no more than one page (single-spaced, 11-point font), describing why you wish to be part of the program and how you will contribute to the learning environment

    • CV emphasizing professional, leadership and volunteer experience (including personal, institutional, NCURA, and/or other professional or external organizations)

    • One Institutional Letter of Support that includes a commitment to cover the expense of attendance at the Region VI/VII Fall Meeting

    • One Letter of Reference

    • Note that cohorts are limited to a total of 6-8 mentees per year and selection is highly competitive. Failure to meet the criteria and submit all required documents on time will result in disqualification.

    • Preferred criteria:

    • Minimum 2 years in the field of research administration

    • Minimum 1 year at current institution (not necessarily in the same role)

  • Mentor selection criteria

    • Demonstrated ability to serve as a mentor

    • CV emphasizing professional, leadership and volunteer experience (including personal, institutional, NCURA, and/or other professional or external organizations) – not required for currently serving mentors

    • Interest Letter, no more than one page (single-spaced, 11-point font) describing your interest in the mentor role as well as how/why you would be a positive mentor.

    • Currently serving mentors are not guaranteed a mentor slot, though we encourage continued participation.

  • Mentee-Mentor pairs (or triads) are determined by the program Co-Chairs based on personal and professional experience as well as attributes of each person.

  • We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and encourage applicants from a diversity of backgrounds to apply.

MENTEE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

  • Read and study The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes & Posner

  • Read and study Trust & Inspire (Part 2, Chapters 1-7) by Stephen M.R. Covey

  • Create a Leadership and/or Professional Development (L&PD) Plan

  • Develop a “Personal Best Leadership Project” which utilizes the 5 practices and 10 commitments espoused in The Leadership Challenge

  • Present your final Personal Best Leadership Project during the Regional Meeting

  • Submit a presentation proposal related to your completed Project for presentation consideration at an Annual or Regional Meeting

  • Maintain a personal journal to document and reflect on Program experiences

  • Engage in on-line readings and other e-discussions

Mentee Program Activities

PROGRAM COHORTS

2025 LeadMe Program Class & Pairings

LeadMe Co-Chair: Ashley Stahle, Colorado State University

LeadMe Co-Chair: Jennifer Cory, Stanford University

MENTEES

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Heidi Gehman, Southern Oregon University

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Julie Wenzel, Colorado State University

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Kathryn Callahan, The Lundquist Institute

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Miguel Rodriguez, University of California - Irvine

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Mysti Reneau, Gonzaga University

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Rodrigo (Roy) Juarez, University of Idaho

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Yui Saito, University of California - Irvine

MENTORS

 

Barbara Inderwiesche, University of California - Irvine

 

Sarah Martonick, University of Idaho

 

Marianna Gurtovnik, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center & Kimberly Smith

Brigidann Cooper, University of Washington

 

Paul Lekutai, University of California - Irvine

 

Betty Rasmussen, University of Colorado Boulder

 

Shuna McMichael, Occidental College

 2014 

 2016 

Program Participants

FORMS & RESOURCES

Resources and Forms

2025 LeadMe Calendar

2025 Lead Me Calendar_edited.png
Calendar

 ©2025 NCURA Region VI

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