AAR Mentoring Program Seeks Applicants

About the Mentoring Program

The American Academy of Religion announces the continuation of a program to assist in the mentoring of underrepresented groups. The program is an initiative of the four standing committees of the AAR:

• Status of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, & Queer Persons in the Profession (LGBTIQ)
• Status of People with Disabilities in the Profession (PWD)
• Status of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the Profession (REM)
• Status of Women in the Profession (SWP)

Thirty-five applicants will be matched with participating scholars who will serve as mentors for a period of one year.

Ordinarily applicants will be one of the following:

• ABD doctoral students
• Non-tenured faculty (i.e., pre-tenure, adjunct, contract, bi-vocational, or hybrid administrator/faculty)
• Post-doctoral fellows

In some instances, the committee will consider applicants in Masters programs and doctoral students in the exam-stage of their process where a lack of mentoring may deter progress toward a student's goal to becoming an academic.

• Working with your dissertation committee
• Developing as a teacher
• Disclosure of various aspects of identity
• Balancing work/life
• Publishing
• Tenure and promotion
• Navigating job searches and hiring negotiations

AAR Mentors

• Coach for a concrete task
• Act as sounding board
• Share from experience

AAR Mentors are not:

• Therapists
• Thesis advisors
• Readers or editors of the mentee’s work

Expectations in mentoring program:

• Meet once face-to-face at the Annual Meeting
• Connect once by phone in the spring
• Connect additionally as agreed upon
• Mentors respond promptly to mentees, even if only to say that they will be in touch at a later date
• Mentor and mentees will be responsible for setting up all meetings including meeting at the AAR

The mentoring committee will attempt to match applicants with mentors as best as possible based on application data but cannot guarantee an exact match. The mentor will not necessarily be in the same field as the mentee. 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.

How to Apply to the Program

You may apply for the mentoring program by completing this form.

The deadline for mentoring applications is May 15, 2017. Notification of program acceptance will be sent by June 30, 2017.