CSA Young Scholars Mentoring Programme
THE CSA YOUNG SCHOLARS MENTORING PROGRAMME: 2021/22 ACADEMIC YEAR
The Concept of Mentoring
Mentoring is an activity initiated within an organisational setting in which a supportive infrastructure that influences, guides or directs the personal and professional growth of designated individuals (mentee) is created. In the field of higher education, mentoring is defined as “a one-to-one learning relationship between an experienced person and someone of lesser experience that is based on modeling behavior and extended dialogue between them” (Lester & Johnson 1981 p. 119). However mentoring appears in different modalities – the traditional one-to-one mentoring; distance mentoring; and group mentoring. Academic associations have generally institutionalized mentoring to meet the standard objective of improved educational outputs but also as a means of assuring sustainability of the associations.
The Caribbean Studies Association (CSA) Young Scholars Mentoring Programme is developed with the aforementioned values in mind. However at this juncture of CSA’s existence there are other compelling reasons for this initiative, foremost among which is the fact that the association is aging with limited prospects for attracting the youth; further complicated by the apparent indifference that young scholars in the Caribbean and circum-Caribbean Region display towards membership. Importantly there is an imperative for building brand awareness among a younger group of academics so that the CSA is seen as an outlet of choice for their academic and artistic pursuits and expressions and to provoke their interest in volunteering their expertise and knowledge in maintaining the organization in the future.
Vision and Purpose
The CSA Young Scholars Mentoring Programme is designed to enable the personal, intellectual and professional growth of the student (protégé) or young academic through facilitation of successful transition from the ‘world of studying’ to the ‘world of work.’ It is hoped that a structured mentoring programme such as this will begin the process of assembling a cadre of young leaders from which the association can draw for succession planning.
Target group
The CSA Young Scholars Mentoring Programme is open to all members of the association who are enrolled in a graduate programme at home or abroad.
Design
The CSA Young Scholars Mentoring Programme during the 2021/22 academic year will be implemented via two modalities:
- Modality 1: Traditional 1:1 pairing. Both mentors and mentees will be recruited; the former by invitation; the latter by application. The frequency of the interaction between mentor and mentee will be decided by each pair. [Designated Option A on application form]
- Modality 2: Group/Project. The CSA Young Scholars Dialogue will be inaugurated. Groups of graduate students will be invited to participate in webinars organized around various topics pertinent to their interests in roles as presenters or discussants. A minimum of one webinar per semester is proposed prior to the run-up to the conference. [Designated Option B on application form]
The 2021/22 year of activities will culminate with a Young Scholars Panel at CSA2022.
Management
Professor Eris D. Schoburgh, President of the CSA is the convenor of The CSA Young Scholars Mentoring Programme who will be supported by Professor Daina Nathaniel , who in turn will have the assistance of Miss Regan Reid, Graduate Student Representative, in managing and
executing the activities.
CSA Mentoring Receptions at the Annual Conference
Please check back later for more information about mentoring receptions at the CSA2022 Annual Conference, May 30-June 3, 2022.
Application Options:
