PTK Mentoring Program
Background
At the University of Maryland, we prioritize the retention and development of our professional track (PTK) faculty, recognizing their essential role in our academic community. As laid out in UMD’s Strategic Plan, the mentoring of PTK faculty is an integral component of integrating PTK faculty into the university community. Per the Strategic Plan, each unit is expected to “articulate explicit expectations for faculty mentoring” as ”[q]uality of mentoring [is]an important factor in the review of faculty for promotion and merit pay.” While these commitments lay a strong foundation for the University’s commitment to PTK faculty, we recognize that the mentoring experiences of PTK faculty have been varied. These differences underscore the need to create more consistent, intentional mentorship structures across UMD.
With this in mind, the PTK Mentoring Program was launched in 2023. The initial rollout of this grassroots program included a one-on-one mentoring structure that matched 67 pairs of volunteer mentors and mentees. The scope of mentorship was broad, spanning various areas of professional development, including teaching, research, work-life balance, and promotion. In the second year of the program, we transitioned to a cohort mentoring model with each mentor matched to approximately 3 mentees. We successfully matched 34 groups of mentors/mentees, serving 122 PTK faculty members across campus.
Goals of the PTK Mentoring Program
The goal of the PTK Mentoring Program is to provide PTK faculty across campus with both the infrastructure and practical tools needed to support their professional growth, while also fostering engagement and development through mentoring networks.
Expectations of Participants
This is an annual opt-in program that solicits participants in the spring semester in conjunction with the PTK Symposium. Participation in the Symposium is not required to participate in the PTK Mentoring Program. The program typically runs from April to February, with quarterly meetings among mentoring groups encouraged.
What’s Next?
We anticipate launching the 2026 - 2027 cohort in April 2026. Please stay tuned for updates on our website, with a registration announcement coming in March! For questions, contact the PTK Mentoring Committee volunteers at PTKMentoring@umd.edu.
Resources
MESHH worksheet
Cohort Mentoring Practice Handbook
Learning Goals for Mentees
Learning Goals for Mentors
Your First Meeting
Assess and Modify Goals
Listening to Support Learning
Probing Questions
Mentee Self-Reflection
Mentor Self-Reflection
Mentor Mentoring Philosophy