Learning from an Omnidirectional Mentorship Program: Identifying Themes and Outcomes through a Qualitative Lens

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Abstract Mentorship has many benefits which may include sharing, reflection, and empathy. Mentoring fosters understanding of others and their perspectives. Being mentored increases one's potential for success and satisfaction, opening doors for new opportunities in personal and professional growth. Omnidirectional mentorship is a type of organizational structure that emphasizes the collective growth of a community, providing opportunities for collective input and acknowledgment. This mentorship approach allows an individual to take on the role of both mentor and mentee. A year-long omnidirectional mentorship program was developed and piloted at a Mid-Atlantic university. This pilot program included ten faculty members, each at various stages of their career, from various departments: engineering, computer science, technology, biology, education, and graduate psychology. Assessment of this omnidirectional mentorship program occurred through focus groups. The data from two mid-point focus groups provided insight into the developed relationships among participants through their interactions in structured gatherings. We qualitatively inspected this data through content and thematic analysis to answer our research question: How did participants' engagement in this omnidirectional-style mentorship program influence their relationship with others inside and outside the mentorship community? Preliminary findings in this qualitative research study reveal participants expressing and experiencing feelings of affirmation, motivation, and satisfaction in themselves and their personal lives. A participant growth model is developed to represent the participant transformation through the communication of shared experiences, as members in the mentorship community feel and experience safety in the group, exhibit feelings of empathy for others, and feel empowered to act on their problems through the community created.

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