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
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: The group will meet in the Student Union, Room 102.
- April 17, 2025 from 12:00-1:30pm (Kickoff Lunch - bring your lunch!)
- May 15, 2025 from 10:00-11:00am
- June 17, 2025 from 1:00-2:00pm
- July 23, 2025 from 10:00-11:00am
- Registration Link: https://workshops.appstate.edu/course/info/2641