The Staff Mentorship Program is looking for a few good men and women who are interested in a professional and personal development opportunity.

“It’s hard to believe that the Staff Mentorship Program is approaching the end of its third successful year,” said Edna Comedy, associate vice president for human resources. “Participation has been outstanding from year to year and we anticipate the 2010-2011 program will outperform prior years participation and successes.”

The Staff Mentorship Program is a formal, volunteer program that pairs experienced and less experienced staff in a mentoring relationship. In this program, staff can cultivate contacts, explore challenges and enhance effectiveness as they design their personal growth and career paths at St. Thomas. The program also provides the opportunity to gather information, develop peer support, learn more about management, and better understand the university’s institutional culture.

Mentors and mentees must attend a mentoring workshop, and the training must be completed shortly after mentors and mentees are paired. Only one mentee can be paired with a mentor. Mentoring pairs set their own schedules and participate in formal and informal programming for up to one year, beginning Aug. 18.

Mentor

Potential mentors must be full-time staff members, usually with three or more years of service at St. Thomas, who want to help newer or less experienced staff members acclimate to the campus community. Nominations can be made by members of the Academic and Administrative Leadership Group (see the list of members below) or another UST community member. The nominees will complete a skills inventory to help HR make the best matches.

If you know a person you think would be a good mentor and who would be willing to fulfill this yearlong commitment, download a Mentor Nomination Form and Skills Inventory.

Mentee

A mentee is a regular full- or part-time staff member who is interested in developing a mentor-mentee relationship. This individual is interested in furthering her or his career development, receiving guidance, building a network of professional contacts with the university, and learning how to reach appropriate channels and a new level of skills.

The Staff Mentorship Program coordinator will complete the matches and will inform mentees and mentors of their paired matches during the weeks of June 28-July 16.

To be a mentee, download a Mentee Nomination Form and Skills Inventory.

Important 2010-2011 dates

• June 11 – Deadline for mentor nominations and mentee applications.
• June 28-July 16 – HR communicates mentor and mentee pairs, and mentee initiates communication with mentor.
• Aug. 18 – Mentor-mentee kick-off and training.
• Nov. 10, Jan. 12, April 13 – Attend luncheons.

Other time commitments include conversations by phone and e-mail, as well as scheduled meetings to discuss issues, concerns and goals.

Academic and Administrative Leadership Group

• Dr. Susan Alexander, executive adviser to the president
• Dr. Angie Barretta-Herman, associate vice president, Academic Affairs
• Monsignor Aloysius Callaghan, rector, vice president, School of Divinity
• Jane Canney, vice president for student affairs
• Edna Comedy, associate vice president, Human Resources
• Dr. Mark Dienhart, executive vice president, chief operating officer
• Marla Friederichs, associate vice president, Enrollment Services
• Linda Halverson, associate vice president and special assistant to the executive vice president
• Doug Hennes, vice president for university and government relations
• Steve Hoeppner, executive director, Development
• Dr. Susan Huber, executive vice president, chief academic officer
• Dr. Marisa Kelly, dean, College of Arts and Sciences
• Dr. Bruce Kramer, dean, College of Applied Professional Studies
• Dr. Joe Kreitzer, associate vice president, Academic Affairs
• Dr. Sam Levy, vice president, Information Resources and Technologies
• Dr. Raymond MacKenzie, ex-officio, chair of the faculty
• Father John Malone, vice president for mission
• Tom Mengler, dean, School of Law
• Dr. Lawrence Potter, executive director of institutional diversity
• Dr. Brenda Powell, chair, Faculty Affairs Committee
• Dr. Chris Puto, dean, Opus College of Business
• Dr. Barbara Shank, dean, School of Social Work
• Dr. Christopher Thompson, academic dean, School of Divinity
• Mark Vangsgard, vice president for business affairs and chief financial officer
• Dr. Donald Weinkauf, dean, School of Engineering
• Dr. Rachel Wobschall, executive director, Alumni and Constituent Relations

The Staff Mentorship Program is offered by the Human Resources Department. For more information, visit the Staff Mentorship Program Web page, e-mail the program, or call Terri Sheehan, (651) 962-6493, or Gina Zitzer, (651) 962-6901.