September 16, 2021

University of Florida to Offer Mentoring Certificate for SEC Administrators

By: SEC Staff
SECU (Twitter: @TheSECU)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (September 16, 2021) — The University of Florida and the International Mentoring Association (IMA) will offer a certificate in multicultural mentoring for current and former fellows and liaisons of the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program during the fall semester, the SEC announced on Thursday.

Florida will host the three-part, virtual series to provide selected SEC administrators, faculty and staff with tools for effective multicultural mentoring. Participants who join all three sessions live will earn a certificate, and those who attend any of the three sessions will be eligible for half price membership to the IMA.

“We are looking forward to expanding the multicultural mentoring certificate beyond the University of Florida to the entire SEC,” said Dr. Chris Hass, Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs at UF. “We have partnered with the IMA for several years in this immensely important work, and we are confident the programming will help prepare future administrators for the changing higher education landscape.”

Topics for the certification course include “Bridging Differences for Better Mentoring,” “Equity Based Mentorship and Supporting Early Career Scholars of Color” and “Why Mentoring Matters for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Moving from Research to Practice.” Presenters will represent universities and centers from around the country.

The program is free to all participants, and a one-time stipend for early career administrator development from the Southeastern Conference will offset costs incurred by the University of Florida.

“Although we were not able to conduct in-person SEC Academic Leadership Development Program workshops last year, we were able to provide a stipend to each of our member universities to continue local professional development,” said Dr. Torie A. Johnson, SEC Associate Commissioner for Academic Relations. “The University of Florida presented this unique opportunity that not only benefits UF, but also the entire SEC, and we are pleased to be a part of the effort.”

The SEC ALDP seeks to identify, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond. It has three components, a university-level development program designed by each institution for its own participants fellows; two SEC-wide three-day workshops held on specified campuses for all program participants; and a competitive fellowship designed to provide administrative growth opportunities for former fellows. It was established in 2008, and more than 500 individuals have participated as fellows and/or liaisons.