Mentoring

CTEWC fosters exchange of new ideas, projects, and collaborative works that show the plurality of thoughts and activities of its members throughout the world. Since its origin, CTEWC has been in a space for the growth of new scholars. Senior members have welcomed new members and CTEWC has always searched for new opportunities for the development of young theological ethicists in their professional and academic goals.

Therefore, CTEWC recognises that a key dimension of its mission related to supporting and assisting new generations of scholars in the various fields of theological ethics. The CTEWC network includes senior, mid-career, junior scholars and doctoral students amongst its members, and as such has an opportunity to link ethicists of different generations in forms of mutual academic support.  The diversity of membership in terms of gender, geography ethnicity, language and culture adds a unique dimension to the capacity for CTEWC to provide meaningful professional and mentoring support, but facilitating structured professional relationships amongst members. Recognising that there may be different culturally-relevant ways to support junior scholars the two proposals below are intended as first steps, rather than the only modes of professional support possible.

The Junior Scholars Mentoring Program is a new initiative of the CTWEC to foster and support young theological ethicists who are at the beginning of their careers and feel the need of support and advice.

The CTEWC aims to provide two forms of professional support:

  1. Professional Advice: Discrete, targeted professional advice on specific issues, particularly when it may be helpful to seek advice outside of one’s institution e.g. advice on how to target research for publication; how to apply/interview for academic positions in specific countries; how to engage with the media in more effective ways; personnel or recruitment advice, etc.  This assistance will be occasional, focused and linked to one specific issue. Click here to view senior scholars willing to give short-term  professional advice.
  2.  Mentoring. Mentorship involves facilitating the professional development of another person by sharing knowledge, resources, expertise, values, skills and perspectives.  It is a long-term, but often time-limited relationship between mentor and mentee.  It allows the mentee to build skills and knowledge and, at the same time, provides the mentor with the opportunity to enhance his/her skill and knowledge of listening, providing feedback and developing others.  It is a confidential relationship that entails responsibilities on the part of mentor and mentee.

The Role of the Mentor

The role of the mentor is to provide a professional sounding board and advice to junior scholars in the context of needs pre-identified by the mentee.  It may include, for example, advice on balancing teaching and research; advice on teaching pedagogies and methods; advice on research and preparation of manuscripts; advice on securing research funding; suggesting inter-disciplinary research opportunities; advice on how best to articulate their achievements in CVs and job searches.  A prospective mentor should ideally be a senior, mid-career or retired academic who has the personal qualities to act as a guide, sponsor, ally, advocate, role model and confidant.

Responsibilities of Mentee

The mentee takes responsibility for identifying the areas on which he/she seeks advice and guidance, is clear about goals he/she wishes to achieve through mentoring and takes responsibility for the follow-up work/homework suggested by the mentor.  The mentee will be responsible for keeping in regular contact with the mentor and will maintain the confidentiality of the relationship.

Application for Prospective Mentees

If you are a junior scholar in need of mentoring on a publishing or teaching question or more generally as you enter the field, please reach out to María Isabel Gil Espinosa and Suzanne Mulligan with your request. They will then match you with a mentor from the following list (and other senior scholars who may reach out to volunteer at any time):

La invitación es para quienes están iniciando su camino académico y necesitan orientación en cuestión de publicaciones o de estudios, puede comunicarse con María Isabel Gil Espinosa y Suzanne Mulligan y exponerles a ellas en qué campo necesita el apoyo. Después de analizar el caso, ellas le pondrán en contacto con un mentor de los que están en la lista (u otros académicos senior que pueden comunicarse más adelante y ofrecerse como mentores):

  • Peter Knox
  • Elias Omondi
  • Agnes Brazal
  • María Isabel Gil Espinosa
  • Ronaldo Zacharias
  • Antonio Autiero
  • Michelle Becka
  • Linda Hogan
  • Martin Lintner
  • Sigrid Müller
  • Daniel Finn
  • Cathleen Kaveny
  • Jim Keenan
  • Julie Hanlon Rubio
  • Todd Salzman

If you are Junior scholars or a graduate student in theological ethics seeking a mentor, you are invited to reflect on the following three questions:

  1. What specifically do you hope to achieve through the mentoring process?
  2. Are there specific areas of your professional life that you wish to work on with a mentor?
  3. Do you have specific needs/expectations in a mentor (eg. region, gender, language)?

Then fill out this mentee application form and submit your application to Suzanne Mulligan (English) or María Gil Espinosa (español).

The CTEWC Mentoring Committee will analyse the application and work to match the prospective mentee with a mentor, considering applicant’s needs, goals, and areas of interest.

Senior Scholars

If you are a senior scholar member of the CTEWC, please consider to joining our team of mentors by submitting this mentor form and email it to Suzanne Mulligan (English) or María Gil Espinosa (español).