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MCC Excellence in Mentorship Series

Welcome to the Excellence in Mentorship Series! This is a new monthly series focusing on: 

  • Building core competencies in mentorship

  • Honing critical skills such as communication, cultural competency, conflict resolution, and more! 

  • Fostering a community of mentors to promote sharing of expertise 

Wondering if this series is for you? If you are an early-stage investigator (late-stage postdocs, clinical fellows, or residents), or a faculty member who wants to explore different approaches to mentorship, then this series is for you! Whether you have mentored multiple students or are just beginning your mentorship journey, this series will cover a breadth of topics related to the management and guidance of trainees. 

Monthly Schedule

The Excellence in Mentorship series is typically held on the second or third Wednesday of each month from 3:00 - 4:30 pm ET via Zoom. 

September 10, 2025: Communication and Working Styles

October 8, 2025: Culturally Responsive Mentorship

November 12, 2025: Aligning Expectations and Providing Actionable Feedback

January 21, 2026: Developing Your Leadership Style, Professional Development, and Goal Setting

February 18, 2026: Ethics and Fostering Independence 

March 18, 2026: Conflict Resolution

April 15, 2026: Maintaining the Connection

What's Coming Next? 

Here you'll find a summary of the upcoming sessions, along with information on our collaborating teams. 

Session 1: Communication and Working Styles 

This session will provide a framework for considering the different working styles and preferences of yourself and your research members. The session includes communication tips to help clarify these working styles and tips on how to build community within the research group. 

Session 2: Culturally Responsive Mentorship 

Led by Dr. Yazmin Carrasco and Dr. Joy Howell, this interactive session will help mentors clarify culturally responsive mentorship practices. 

Session 3: Aligning Expectations and Providing Actionable Feedback

This session will provide an overview and recommendations on: 

  • How to set clear, reasonable expectations
  • Strategies for teaching and assessing understanding
  • Recommendations to give clear, actionable feedback

Session 4: Developing Your Leadership Style, Professional Development, and Goal Setting 

This session will walk through the 4 types of management strategies, the core tenets of professional development (and tips on how to consider your role when a trainee doesn't want to follow the academic career path), and advice on actionable goal setting. '

For questions or more information on how to attend, please reach out to mcc@med.cornell.edu