Msengi, C. & Clabaugh, D.

Sustaining mentoring communities of practice. The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching, 9(2), 54-63 (2025).
https://doi.org/10.62935/q1324m

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Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the influence of mentoring on professional growth and resilience with foreign-born female faculty members in education. We sought to develop theory and articulate implications for further research by exploring the influences and benefits of cross-cultural mentoring in higher education. A case study approach was used to dive deeply into four faculty members’ experiences of career mentoring for professional advancement and psychosocial development. The two research questions focused on faculty challenges and explored how mentor guidance and suggestions for action were applied. Mentoring offered personal and professional support and guidance, enhanced problem-solving skills, networking strategies, and new service opportunities. Primary and secondary data sources were thematically analyzed using Ginsberg’s 7 C’s of Resilience: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. This model was chosen because many new faculty in a new country need and want guidance for and explanations about multiple aspects of American faculty life and academic service. We discovered that mentoring to meet career and personal development goals also strengthened mentees’ resilience described as increased competency, confidence, connections, character, contributions, coping, and control.

Keywords: Cross-cultural mentoring, resilience,faculty, women inhigher education, career mentoring