3.4 Cross-Cultural Mentoring

Diversity is defined as the differences in individuals’ background, education, ethnicity, gender, physical appearance, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomics, and/or other attributes. This particular definition emphasizes the uniqueness of all individuals. Cross-cultural mentoring is an imperative given the heterogeneous and diverse population at universities, particularly in public and urban institutions. Cross-cultural mentoring is inclusive. It provides access to those who have been traditionally excluded, especially when there is a limited pool of mentors from their own race and gender. Developing a sound mentoring relationship in diverse contexts requires respecting the unique set of experiences, interests, ideals, backgrounds, and upbringings that each individual learner brings to the table. To be an effective mentor, one needs to be culturally sensitive. Mentors must be prepared to address biases and prevent stereotypes from adversely affecting the mentoring relationship.

The mentor should identify his/her own biases and stereotypical beliefs and guard against their potentially adverse impact on the mentoring relationship. To begin the self-reflection process, the mentor should consider how he/she might respond to the phrases that follow:

• Avoid falling into a “surrogate parent” role, which assumes that the mentee expects to be nurtured instead of empowered to make choices. The mentor with attributes of a parent provides more emotional support which has potential to be inappropriate.
• Be aware of the “benefactor versus victim” syndrome, especially if the mentor is from a majority background and the mentee is from an underserved one. The mentor should not perceive the mentee as a helpless victim, and the mentee must not engage in a self-fulfilling prophecy of learned helplessness.
• Agree that “race doesn’t matter.” However, mentors and mentees need to appreciate the differences that race and/or ethnicity may bring to their relationships.
• Recognize that accepting differences in gender and sexual orientation may encourage a student who wants to do research.

Diversity training is necessary for all of us, and especially for faculty who want to become effective mentors over time. We must identify and discuss our biases and ask ourselves how they can shape a learning environment in the classroom and in developing a mentoring relationship with undergraduate researchers.

As mentioned in Chapter 2, effective communication is an essential building block for creating successful mentoring relationships. This is particularly important for cross-cultural mentors to be aware that mentees may lack confidence in their own abilities. It is vital to allocate time to learn about the mentee’s background and their possible concerns. Successful mentoring relationships are built on a foundation of honesty and respect for the individual learner, so a mentor should always strive to: 1) become culturally attuned and sensitive to other cultures; 2) develop a working knowledge of and appreciation for other cultures; 3) understand traditions that may affect issues of place, space, and time; and 4) become aware of hidden biases. The following case studies focus on self-reflection as a critical component in cross-cultural mentoring.

Case Study: Cultural Unawareness

Nicole, a timid student with an excellent academic record, is in Professor Zimmer’s class. Nicole and Professor Zimmer are from different ethnic backgrounds. One day, Nicole nervously approaches Professor Zimmer and asks to conduct an undergraduate research project with him. Professor Zimmer agrees and develops an appropriate project and shows Nicole how to use the instrumentation after reviewing the safety laboratory procedures. As the pair begin to work together, Nicole does not appear to exhibit the level of care in the lab that Professor Zimmer expects. More glassware than usual has been broken. On two occasions Nicole forgets to filter the sample, causing Professor Zimmer to disassemble and clean the instrument which takes several hours. Professor Zimmer finds himself getting more and more annoyed, but he is able to control his temper. He then reminds Nicole of the importance of exercising care and following protocols in the laboratory. In his conversation, Professor Zimmer also warns Nicole that she will not continue the project if the situation does not improve. Nicole is extremely upset. However, she nods and seems to understand but does not say anything because in her culture she is expected to respect authority. An hour later, Professor Zimmer returns to his office and listens to his phone messages. Nicole’s father had called and left a stern message demanding to meet with him personally. Professor Zimmer sits at his desk, wondering what to do next.

Reflection: How do cross-cultural differences manifest in this deteriorating mentoring relationship? Where could Professor Zimmer have spent more time building the relationship with Nicole? What steps could he have taken to try to learn more about his mentee?

Case Study: Two Different Approaches

Professor Lam serves as a mentor for two undergraduate students, Sheba James and Jake Wall. Sheba is a minority, first-generation, female college student born and raised in the Caribbean, and Jake is a Caucasian student educated in the United States. Professor Lam has mentored only two male minority students in the past five years at the college, but accepts Sheba because she was in a research program aimed at supporting minority students and Professor Lam was pressured by her colleagues to mentor her. Jake and Sheba are both driven students, and they are capable of reading the literature reviews about the research and understanding the protocols necessary for the project. Nevertheless, both have made only minor progress towards completion of the project. Sheba makes an appointment with Professor Lam, and she gently tells her that she feels alienated because she holds more office meetings with Jake and spends more time mentoring him than she does her. Professor Lam explains that the expectations for Jake are much higher. Professor Lam points out that they are mentored differently because Sheba does not have plans to continue her education and instead plans to find a job after graduation. However, since Jake is planning to go to graduate school, Professor Lam believes more time and effort must be invested in Jake to develop his research skills. Sheba tells Professor Lam that she actually wants to become a professor and pursue a post-doctoral position after a few years of working in the field. Professor Lam seems surprised. Sheba feels there is another reason for the alienation based on Professor Lam’s mentoring history. She finally decides to quit the project.

Reflection: Could “hidden” racism be the underlying cause for Professor Lam’s treatment of Sheba? If Professor Lam were indeed not racist, what should she have done differently to avoid Sheba’s misconception?

How does a mentor check his or her beliefs before engaging in a cross-cultural mentoring relationship? The following Intercultural Communication Checklist is a self-inventory that can be used prior to starting the mentoring process (Morrison et al., 1994; Zachary, 2000).

Exercise: Intercultural Communication Checklist

Use this checklist as a self-inventory before entering into a cross-cultural mentoring relationship.

1. Prepare to:
   • explore what your own culture means to you;
   • explore the mentee’s culture prior to meeting each other;
   • reflect upon what it is you want from the mentoring relationship; and
   • clarify the mutual expectations and goals of the mentoring relationship.
2. Remember to:
   • ask questions about culture if you need clarification;
   • suspend bias and judgment, and accept cultural differences;
   • consistently show attention, empathy, interest, patience, and respect;
   • learn about differences in communication space, eye contact, gestures, inflection, learning pace, time, and use of silence;
   • ask for feedback with descriptive questions (who, what, when, where, why, how, how many, how much?); and
   • express the need to think about something within a realistic but set time period so that reasonable exploration and self-reflection may take place.
3. Remember to observe:
   • your own assumptions, biases, identity-threats, and stereotypes;
   • any potential or present discomfort, disconnect, or other warning feelings;
   • any contrasts and values that may be present and operating in the relationship; and
   • consistency in keeping appointments, providing feedback, and communicating progress.