Have a Cup of Coffee Mentoring Program

The Have a Cup of Coffee Mentoring Program is back again! The program pairs members in need of mentoring with experienced professionals at the Annual Meeting.

How It Works

• Mentors are invited to set aside one hour of their time at the meeting to speak with a person in need of mentoring.
• Mentees will view a schedule of available mentors and their areas of expertise. Mentees will register for a mentor time slot on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Mentoring pairs will be introduced via e-mail prior to the Annual Meeting.
• AAR will contribute $10 to each mentoring pair to subvent the cost of drinks. The money must be picked up at the AAR booth in the Exhibit Hall.
• Mentor and mentee will enjoy a free cup of coffee and an hour of conversation.

How to Sign Up as a Mentor

Sign up for mentors has closed! Please contact Marchell Jackson at mjackson@aarweb.org, with any questions or concerns. 

Mentors should have:

• 5 or more years of professional experience in the field (Note: if you have less than 5 years of experience, you can still register for consideration if you have a specific area of expertise to share)
• Expertise in any of the following areas: leadership, publishing, alternative careers, tenure applications, adjunct issues, strategic decision-making, organizational skills, work/life balance, or the hiring process
• The willingness to share insights in the profession to help guide the mentee
• Availability to meet a mentee for one hour on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday at the Annual Meeting

How to Sign Up as a Mentee

Registration for mentees is now open! Click here to register and choose your mentor today!  Mentee registration will close on November 15th or whenever all the spots are filled. Mentees will select a mentor based on availability and area of mentoring expertise. Selections are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. To make the impact of this program as broad as possible, mentees may select only one mentoring slot for the entirety of the meeting. Once registered, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to the mentee and the mentor. Mentees are encouraged to contact the mentor in advance of the meeting to confirm plans and begin the conversation.

Guidelines

The mentor is meant to be a sounding board and guide from experience. Mentors and mentees will meet once face-to-face at the Annual Meeting for an hour; there is no expectation of the mentoring relationship extending beyond this meeting unless both parties agree. The mentor will not necessarily be in the same field as the mentee and will not necessarily be available to read her or his work. The mentor will offer guidance where possible, with some of the following: professional development/discernment, access to networks, strategizing and publication, job-seeking (including jobs outside the academy or off the tenure track), the tenure and promotion process, and work/life balance. It is appropriate for a mentor to request curriculum vitae from potential mentees. Mentors and mentees should be aware of the potential power dynamics between them and adhere to professional ethics and boundaries. All conversations are confidential unless both parties agree otherwise.

Mentors and mentees are responsible for contacting one another with any changes in plans well before the meeting. Both parties need to be aware that this mentoring program comes on top of other Annual Meeting duties and commitments; please honor one another's time accordingly. It would be helpful for the mentor and mentee to talk about mutual expectations via e-mail before they meet.

For questions, please contact Marchell Jackson at mjackson@aarweb.org.