Moving It Forward: The Power of Mentoring, and How Universities Can Confront Institutional Barriers Facing Junior Researchers of Color

While the longstanding structural challenges in the professional development of junior scholars of color can be confronted through strong mentoring relationships, the potential power of effective mentoring will only be realized when the environments in which these relationships exist begin to change. Derived from insights gleaned from grantees of the William T. Grant Foundation's mentoring program, "Moving It Forward: The Power of Mentoring, and How Universities Can Confront Institutional Barriers Facing Junior Researchers of Color" underscores the pivotal role of effective mentoring in providing junior researchers of color the supports they need to thrive in careers inside and outside the academy. Tailored specifically for decision makers and administrators who have a hand in shaping the professional climate at universities, "Moving it Forward" differs from previous guides for mentoring that have focused on building the skills of mentors themselves. Instead, authors Vivian Louie and Alicia Wilson-Ahlstrom foreground the need for collective responsibility in nurturing and sustaining strong mentoring relationships, and, critically, provide specific strategies and directions for those who might leverage the weight of institutions to foster lasting change.