The Office of the CDO, in partnership with the Office of the Provost and the International Mentoring Association, has launched a number of initiatives to strengthen mentoring practices and programs here at UF.

Mentoring Affinity Group

This group is open to all UF faculty, post docs, graduate students and staff who have an interest in mentoring. The group meets three times per semester to learn best practices, share insights and hone skills. Interested in joining? 

Join the Mentoring Affinity Group listserv for updates and events. 

Partnership with IMA

The International Mentoring Association (IMA) has its administrative home at the University of Florida and connects the university to renowned scholars and practitioners in the field of mentoring. In addition to partnering with the university on many of our mentoring initiatives, the IMA hosts its annual conference in Gainesville. 

Mentor Academies

Starting in spring 2021, 14 of the 16 colleges on campus began planning college-based mentor academies. Modeled on the successful Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Mentor Academy, these academies are training faculty in best practices for successful and inclusive mentoring to trainees and early career faculty. Each academy will be run by faculty from the college who have received special training and are part of a working group that meets regularly to develop their programs with support from Dr. Roger Fillingim, Director of the CTSI Mentor Academy and Treasurer for the International Mentoring Association.

Certificate in Multicultural Mentoring

This three-part series developed in partnership with the International Mentoring Association and taught by leading scholars in the field builds skills in bridging differences, equity based mentoring, and why mentoring matters for diversity, equity and inclusion. The series has been offered each fall and spring since it was launched in Fall 2020 and more than 300 faculty and staff have earned their certificate. Certificate in Multicultural Mentoring

The University of Florida also supports mentoring through initiatives for students and the local business community.

Student mentoring

• University Multicultural Mentor Program provided through the Center for Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement (CIME) pairs first-year students with members of the faculty and staff to help them navigate their first year as UF students.
• PODEMOS a year-long initiative for first-year Hispanic-Latinx students at UF that consists of an academic success program in the fall semester (LEAP), and a professionalization program in the spring semester (PODER). The program pairs first-year students with peer mentors.
• Life Coach: a program offered to all 3rd and 4th year first-generation students. Students will be paired with a trained Life Coach to receive one-on-one guidance and life planning assistance. By connecting with a Life Coach, students will have the opportunity to maximize their education by gaining guidance from professionals right here on campus. The Life Coach is there to aid students in goal setting and outlining the steps necessary to reach these goals. The Life Coach is there to encourage students as they prepare to transition from undergrad to a career, graduate, or professional school.

Business mentoring

• Mentor-Protégé Program: Run by Small Business and Vendor Diversity Relations (Division of Business Affairs). The purpose of this program is to facilitate effective working relationships between established businesses and emerging business (including woman and minority owned companies).