DOES RACE, ETHNICITY, OR GENDER OF THE MENTOR AFFECT WHETHER THEY WILL BE A “GOOD MENTOR”? A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS

Does a mentor’s race, ethnicity, or gender (REG) affect whether they will be a good mentor? To answer this question, we draw on qualitative research data from interviews with 15 student protégés participating in a system-wide Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). We are interested in the respondents’ perceptions of the impact of REG on mentorship across their educational careers. We first elicit the respondents’ definitions of a “good mentor,” and then ask them for their perceptions of REG on mentorship. We find respondents report that the REG of the mentor has limited significance on the mentorship-protégé rela-tionship; however, respondents report that the REG of the mentor has influence on the mentor-protégé relationship. Respondents who perceive REG as having a limited effect also suggest that diversity of experience, a mentor’s personality, and mentor content knowledge are important in a mentor-protégé relationship. Respondents who perceive REG as having an effect believe that mutual respect and personal preference are important in a mentor-protégé relationship. We offer explanations for these findings and conclude with concrete recommendations for consideration at colleges and universities that seek to enhance recruitment and retention of Underrepresented Minorities (URM) in science, technol-ogy, engineering, and math (STEM) programs.