November 28, 2023Equalizing Status in Mentoring Relationships Fosters Collaborationby Sabrina ThurmanRecently, I mentored three undergraduate research students who graduated and went on to pursue graduate degrees and professional work. Through our mentoring relationships, which deepened over several years and involved navigating numerous unexpected challenges throughout the pandemic, I strove to…
August 22, 2023Learning through Mentoring: Lessons from the Earliest Phase of Lifeby Sabrina ThurmanInfants’ first attempts in learning to walk are characterized by enthusiastic, wholehearted, but unbalanced steps that frequently result in many falls. Learning this novel skill is influenced by the child’s developmental history, or prior experiences, such as being held in…
July 25, 2023A Personal Reflection on What Makes Mentoring Greatby Sabrina ThurmanI grew up on a mountainside in rural Appalachia and spent nearly every day of my childhood playing outside. Being from a low-income family and surrounded by the natural world, I entertained myself by exploring plants, animals, soil, water, and…