Who is a Mentor?

• A scholar with demonstrated success in the areas they mentor.
• Accessibility and personal commitment to the scholars.
• Evidence of sustained commitment (two years or more) to mentoring that resulted in career development of 3-5 or more mentees.
• Supporting the growth of each mentee's academic career and the missions and goals of KU Medical Center.
• Offering guidance for mentees to move toward establishing independence in their careers.
• Teaching the values, rules and operating procedures in academic medicine, such as how the merit and promotion system works and helping mentee's advance to the next level.
• Helping mentee's to develop and sustain a network of professional colleagues who can offer advice, training and help.

What to Include in the Nomination Letter

• For current or past mentees, a testimonial of what he/she has meant to you while establishing your career.
  • Give specific examples of goals attained, projects completed, promotions, grants or awards earned, obstacles overcome and anything else you feel is attributable to the mentorship.
  • Examples of specific behaviors and mentoring interactions, and how these have been significant in your work.
• If you are a colleague or chair of the candidate, a testimonial of what you believe mentoring relationships have meant to the candidate's mentees.
  • Colleagues and chairs are also encouraged to provide known examples of successes.

How to Document the Mentor's Achievements

Examples of documentation include, but are not limited to:

• Letters of support, highlighting the achievements of those mentored.
• Publications, awards and professional successes of mentees as a result of the mentorship.
• Letters of support and/or the nominee's CV, showing the mentor/mentee's collaboration and participation in meetings, conferences, committees or presentations.
• Letters of support and/or the nominee's CV, showing the mentee's success in grant awards, publications and/or achieving promotion due to the guidance of the mentor.
• Statements of support from deans, chairs, center directors and/or division chiefs.

Start (and End) with Why

Trouble getting started? Start with why you are nominating your mentor. Here are a few ideas that may help.

• What do you value most about the mentorship?
• How do you find the mentorship rewarding?
• As the result of your mentorship, how has your knowledge base, skills, techniques or methods changed?
• Does your mentor observe you in teaching, research or patient care situations to provide feedback on these skills?
• Have you had success with grant applications, developing research ideas or writing manuscripts because of your mentor's guidance?
• As the result of the mentorship, have you accomplished something that you may not have previously attempted?
• How does your mentor guide you to reach your independent goals?
• What is the most beneficial change you identify in yourself as a result of the mentorship?
• Does your mentor facilitate your participation in professional activities outside of the institution (regional, state, national organizations)?
• How does your mentor help you create a network of peers and advisors?
• Does your mentor act as your advocate within the department or division?
• In conclusion, why do you feel your mentor deserves this award over all the other candidates?