From dyad to network: the evolution of a mentoring relationship

In this narrative account, the authors share how a mentoring relationship between a doctoral student and educational leadership professor experienced the mentoring stage of redefinition when the student transitioned into a faculty position. The authors describe an ever-changing experience as the partnership has evolved, with mentoring activities diminishing and the relationship solidifying into a research partnership and friendship. Drawing upon shared commitments to mentoring and high-quality education, the authors have been intentional in expanding the dyad into a network, including their doctoral students in collaborative research activities. Students have experienced benefits (as they have informally reported, and as evidenced by their academic records); the two faculty members, at different institutions and with differing research expertise and experiential backgrounds, could provide differentiated feedback and perspectives to these students. The network has also provided benefits for the mentors, who experienced increased productivity, new research insights, and deeper understandings of quality mentoring relationships.