Tapping the Wisdom Tradition: Essential Elements to Mentoring Students of Color

The relevance of race, ethnicity, and culture in the mentor-mentee relationship is the essence of this article. The authors argue that diversity education for those mentoring students of color merits an additional level of required expertise in the following key areas: culture and academia, shared/assumed existential posture, racial discrimination, race and ethnic self-awareness, and relationship and process. With support from APA publications, the authors highlight specific academic and professional concerns for students of color, to work toward effective mentoring of culturally diverse students. For prospective mentors of students of color, the authors make recommendations related to engagement, instruction, and integration of personal and professional identity. Further, the authors make recommendations for the management of experiences with discrimination and the recognition of racial identity and racial awareness in the mentor-mentee relationship.