Summary
Exploring mentorship through research, collaboration, and accessible teaching practices.
Over the past few months, I have found myself returning to the topic of mentorship again and again.
Whether reflecting on students presenting their research at conferences, celebrating milestones, or thinking about the people who have shaped my own career, one thing has become clear: mentorship is rarely a single moment. It is a series of relationships that help us learn, grow, and imagine what is possible.
That is one reason I continue to be drawn to mentorship as a researcher.
What does effective mentorship look like? How does it influence student success? And how can we create mentoring relationships that help people thrive?
Learning Through Partnership
Before I jump to the new school year, I want to revisit a previous project that has stayed with me. Our study, “Take a Deep Breath and Re-Center the Student’s Perspective”: Partnering Instructors and Disabled Students for Accessible Teaching, was led by Julie Sievers and co-authored by Desirée Lama, Ryan A. Mata, Soren, myself, and others. Together, we explored what happens when instructors and disabled students learn from each other through sustained partnership. It was also a reminder of what mentorship can look like in practice, since several of these co-authors are students I mentor and learn from in the process.
The findings highlighted strategies that made the biggest difference.
- Designing courses with more room for flexibility.
- Being transparent about expectations.
- Creating environments where students feel they belong.
- Making thoughtful action plans that guide real change.
Other insights emerged too, like recognizing invisible disabilities, rethinking anti-cheating policies, and viewing accessibility as something to design from the beginning. These are not small adjustments. They are mindset shifts. And they remind me how mentorship works in both directions. Students and instructors learning together is transformational.
What We Are Learning About Mentorship
More recently, our team contributed to Mentoring Graduate Students with Disabilities: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis and Review. This work examined what the research literature tells us about mentoring disabled graduate students and the conditions that help those relationships succeed.
One of the strongest themes across the review was that effective mentorship extends beyond academic guidance. Graduate students benefit from mentors who help them navigate professional opportunities, build confidence, develop a sense of belonging, and access support when barriers arise.
That finding resonated with me.
The most impactful mentors in my own life have never focused solely on research, coursework, or career advancement. They have helped me think bigger, navigate challenges, and recognize possibilities I could not yet see for myself.
The same is true for the students I have the privilege of mentor.
The People Who Shape the Work
My research has been strengthened by the people learning alongside me. I recently updated my mentees page to highlight the students who have influenced my thinking and helped build the Center’s research in meaningful ways.
As we move into the new semester, I hope you take a moment to reflect on who you are learning from and who you are helping grow.
Mentorship is not a side project.
It is how we build better research, better teaching, and better futures.
If you are looking to strengthen your own mentoring or teaching practices before the new school year, the Center’s Best Practice for Mentoring Disabled College Students and Syllabus and Accessibility Tips for Faculty are helpful places to start.
