Provost Mentor Programs for Faculty Success and Leadership

A new initiative from the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement

Program Overview

Faculty mentorship and development efforts play a vital role in advancing academic excellence, fostering institutional resilience, creating community, and promoting faculty satisfaction and retention.

In response to faculty interest and recognizing the value of mentorship, the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement (OVPFA) is launching two new mentorship programs. These programs aim to equip faculty across disciplines with the guidance, skills, and networks necessary to thrive in their roles and advance the university’s mission.

  • The Mentorship for Academic Progress and Success (MAPS) program will support early career faculty to successfully and confidently establish their scholarly and institutional selves through guided career development, intentional network-building, and strategic engagement with campus resources.
  • The Leadership Initiative for Faculty Training and Mentorship (LIFT) will support mid-career faculty interested in pursuing leadership roles at Columbia by demystifying and developing core competencies relevant to the realities of academic leadership roles today and strategizing key networks and actions pertinent to future roles.  

 

Goals

Through individual mentorship, additional cohort development sessions, and peer mentorship networks these programs aim to:

  • Facilitate meaningful mentoring relationships that promote both career advancement and general support in navigating complex academic environments
  • Prepare faculty for success in current and future roles within departments, schools, and university-wide initiatives by building core academic and leadership competencies
  • Increase transparency around academic and administrative roles and responsibilities
  • Offer structured opportunities for cross-school and cross-disciplinary community- building, engagement, learning, and collective problem-solving
  • Strengthen networks and connections to build professional and practical pathways towards career success and advancement

 

Timeline

Inaugural cohorts of these programs will meet in April 2026 and mentorship meetings and engagement sessions will commence in Fall 2026 through Spring 2027. 

LIFT & MAP timeline

Interested in joining?

Due to the need to thoughtfully match mentors and mentees, fellows are onboarded on a semesterly basis. The inaugural cohort is just the beginning.

Signal your interest anytime—registrants are placed on our waitlist and invited to join the aforementioned calendar of programming on a semesterly basis as new cohorts begin.

Faculty interested in serving as mentors are encouraged to email us at [email protected]. 

 

Contact Information

Please reach out to [email protected] to learn more about these programs.