Introduction
A peer mentoring circle is a small group of people who meet regularly to discuss specific topics related to their professional development. Mentoring circles offer support for employees at all career stages. Providing employees mentoring and career development is a key component of the university’s commitment to “investing in faculty and staff excellence.” Mentoring circles foster learning and support through group interactions, reducing dependency on a single mentor. They offer benefits similar to traditional mentoring and provide a broader perspective through cross-disciplinary groups.
What to Expect
Each year, a call for proposed mentoring circles is published, and approved proposals are posted on the Human Resources website. An interest form is then distributed campus-wide for employees to sign up. Subsequently, mentoring circle co-facilitators will contact participants directly to coordinate meetings.
Download this Mountaineer Mentoring Guide for more information roles and responsibilities, and the process and procedures for submitting a proposal.
Submit a Peer Mentoring Circle proposal.
2025-2026 Peer Mentoring Circles
Agile Project Management Community of Practice
- Facilitators: Clint Coffey and Julie Taubman
- Vision: In this peer mentoring circle, we will foster and develop agile project management practices at the University so we can deliver increased value to the University with greater efficiency and joy.
- Intended Audience: This peer mentoring circle is intended for professionals who may benefit from incorporating agile project management methodologies into their work group, unit or division.
- Meeting Pattern: Belk Library room 421 or via this Zoom link
- TBD
- Registration Link: https://workshops.appstate.edu/course/info/2642
Staff Parents of Young Children
- Facilitators: Summer Wisdom, Jessica Hunter and Holly Benson-McQueen
- Vision: This group is intended to be a support network for staff with kids birth to eight years old. It can be challenging to work full-time and parent full-time, so let’s support each other as we chug along on this journey. We hope that this group offers an opportunity for members to share their experiences, recommend resources, celebrate milestones, commiserate about the challenges, and build relationships with other staff who are parents of young children. We hope that this group allows for community building among staff that are in the trenches of dirty diapers, tantruming toddlers, kids learning to read, and never ending laundry.
- Intended Audience: Staff members with children between the ages of birth to 8 years.
- Meeting Pattern: Bring-your-own lunch meetings from 12:00 - 1:30 on the following days:
- Please contact Facilitators (listed above) for meeting days.
- Registration Link: https://workshops.appstate.edu/course/info/2641
Transitioning to the High Country
- Facilitators: Katharine Johnson and Brandon Hrovat
- Vision: We’ll explore the opportunities and challenges associated with relocating to the High Country in an inclusive and welcoming environment designed to support employees as they navigate being newcomers to the area.
- Intended Audience: This peer mentoring circle is intended for employees who are newcomers to the area, particularly staff who relocated to the area without previous connections to the university or community.
- Meeting Pattern: Join us for lunch and fellowship from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at Boone Saloon on the first Tuesday of each month:
- TBD
- Registration Link: https://workshops.appstate.edu/course/info/hr-transitioning-to-the-high-country-peer-mentoring-for-staff