Hear from AIM Higher Grant Recipients

Dr. Kathryn Blankenship

Kathryn Blankenship, Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology in the Department of Health and Human Performance: Participating in AIM has significantly expanded my perspective on mentoring. Initially, I approached the program thinking primarily about faculty-to-faculty mentoring. However, through AIM, I was exposed to a broader, more well-rounded view of mentoring’s potential. The opportunity to access a wealth of resources and engage in meaningful discussions with colleagues across campus was incredibly beneficial. As a result, my focus shifted toward exploring and enhancing the student-to-student mentoring opportunities within our program.

This led me to reimagine the Speech Language Pathology and Audiology (SLPA) Student Ambassador Program at Middle Tennessee State University. Originally launched in 2018 with a focus on recruitment, the program was paused during COVID and reintroduced in Fall 2022 with a new emphasis on mentoring and tutoring. The purpose of the SLPA Ambassador Program is to offer leadership opportunities to students who are passionate about serving and representing the program. These ambassadors now serve not only in recruitment but also as mentors and tutors, particularly for students in the beginning SLPA courses.

The AIM Higher seed grant was pivotal in transforming this vision into reality. With the grant, I was able to provide targeted training for our student ambassadors on how to be effective mentors. It also allowed us to offer a $150 stipend to each ambassador and provide snacks and incentives for students attending mentoring and review sessions. This support was critical in launching the mentoring component successfully. Since then, I have secured continued funding from both the department and college to sustain the stipends, ensuring the program’s long-term viability.

We are already seeing strong evidence of the impact our efforts are making. Student ambassadors played a central role in shaping the mentoring component, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. New students have shared that:

· “I found it [tutoring] beneficial.”

· “Ambassadors were supportive.”

· “Made me feel more comfortable to ask questions.”

In addition, we have seen a marked increase in the number of students reapplying and applying to become ambassadors, which signals a growing investment in peer mentoring. There is also a noticeable improvement in student relationships and a stronger sense of community and belonging within our program.

For anyone considering applying for AIM, I would strongly encourage it. The program offers valuable, transferable insights that can enhance any mentoring initiative—whether student-to-student, faculty-to-student, or faculty-to-faculty. It not only equips you with practical tools but also connects you with a supportive network of peers who can inspire and refine your approach to mentoring.

Drs. Heather Dillard and Jennifer Vannatta-Hall

Drs. Heather Dillard and Jennifer Vannatta-Hall: Seasoned faculty mentoring newer faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership and the School of Music.

AIM provided a space for expanding our knowledge reflection of the various ways in which mentoring can happen in a higher education setting. AIM reinforced our knowledge that mentoring is a necessity. We cannot assume that faculty are fine on their own; they need support and guidance, regardless of their rank and status.

The AIM Higher grant allowed us to better recruit both faculty mentors and mentees for our year-long program. Most of the grant went toward providing extra compensation for mentors and mentees who participated in the program.

14 faculty participated in our mentoring program. We had a 97% participation rate across the entire academic year. Participants submitted a retrospective survey that elicited both quantitative and qualitative data. Participants rated their comfort level of 15 mentoring skills both before and after the program. A five-point Likert scale of 1 (very uncomfortable) to 5 (very comfortable) was used. Results of this survey revealed growth in perceived confidence of every mentoring skill because of participating in our faculty mentoring program.

For those considering participating, AIM is worth your time. The program content was well-planned, and the guest speakers added value. AIM provides an opportunity to connect with other colleagues across campus whom you might not interact otherwise.

Katie Gruber

Katie Gruber Instructor, Department of Communication Studies: In an effort to produce greater dialogue between faculty, create better instructors, and in turn establish community and foster greater relationship-rich education within our department, I formed the Inaugural Communication Studies Mentoring Program with paired senior and junior faculty participants, allowing them the opportunity to make concerted efforts to improve instruction.  

Part of my motivation to join the first AIM Cohort was that I saw an opportunity to learn more about mentoring. What I knew about mentoring came only from experiencing informal mentoring relationships, without intentional training or thought. I didn’t anticipate that the AIM program would inspire me to develop a mentoring initiative aimed at fostering meaningful relationships within our department. I saw great potential in several of our veteran faculty members whose strengths and knowledge were not being utilized by the younger or newer faculty. 

The AIM Higher seed grant allowed 9 faculty to receive small stipends for their work. When the original call for participants went out, only 4 expressed an interest; upon a second call, with the addition of the small stipend, 4 more joined! This clearly demonstrates the importance of rewarding your program participants for their efforts, which included meeting at least 1-2 times each semester and one classroom observation. Additionally, I believe the stipend established greater weight to their involvement in the program and built in external accountability. It also allowed space to create a pre-test and post-test survey to ascertain the feasibility and impact of the pilot program. 

Anecdotal remarks from participants in the beginning include one from a mentor, noting, “We met on Monday. She had emailed me some areas of instruction that she wanted to enhance. On the Zoom meeting, I gave her some suggestions which we discussed. We also discussed Digital Badges, which I know nothing about. She may end up being the mentor on that topic…This has been very enjoyable.” Her comments demonstrate the reciprocal nature of mentoring – while the mentor may feel the burden of “passing down” their knowledge, it is also mentees that can provide fresh ideas and new perspectives. As another mentor informally mentioned upon receipt of our monthly check-in email, “We met for the first time yesterday. We are off to a strong start. Thank you for putting together this mentoring program.” Her expression of gratitude demonstrates the power of implementing programs such as these.  

One mentee wrote in her post-test survey, “The most useful aspect of this program was the opportunity to share resources and teaching ideas with my mentor. Engaging in these discussions provided fresh perspectives, practical strategies, and new materials that I can incorporate into my own teaching.” Another made the comment that the most useful aspect of the program was, “having time to thoughtfully discuss specific topics with a colleague without judgment.”  

Post-test data also show that respondents (3/8) somewhat or strongly agree that the program helped them feel more connected to their department community, especially since, as one noted, “it’s a great chance to connect with members of the department that you may not always interact with.” Post-test data also indicate that respondents (3/8) somewhat or strongly agree that it was effective use of their time, somewhat or strongly agree that it improved their teaching and instruction, and all agreed that they would recommend the program to a colleague.  

A panel of participants will present and discuss their experiences at the annual conference of the Tennessee Communication Association (TCA) in September 2025.