Mentoring Pods
The Butler Center is excited to announce the return of Mentoring Pods for Purdue faculty in Fall 2026! This mentoring program brings together small groups of 3-5 faculty members from various units at various ranks, who will engage in thoughtful and honest conversations around faculty life over the course of one year. The primary purpose of this mentoring experience is connection and community across campus and across career stages for mutual encouragement and support. In addition, the mentoring pod is designed to contribute to professional development of all participating pod members through the power of collective wisdom and experience regarding how to thrive and excel as Purdue faculty across multiple domains including research discovery, teaching and learning, and engagement. The Butler Center has provided similar mentoring community support over the past several years with positive results (see here for more).
Academic and Leadership Tracks
Mentoring isn’t just for early-career assistant professors - it is valuable for everyone. Whether you are a mid-career associate professor or a full professor, there is a place for you. To that effect, here is a noteworthy addition to the original scope of this program: We are introducing specialized pods this year specifically designed for those transitioning into administrative leadership roles (e.g., department heads, center directors, assistant/associate deans, assistant/associate VPs) or those who aspire to be in such roles in the near future (“Leadership Track” vs. the original “Academic Track”). These pods will focus on mid- to advanced-career faculty (e.g., newly promoted full professors, seasoned full professors moving into administrative leadership roles) and will have seasoned administrators serving as pod leads. To be eligible for the Leadership Track pods, participants must also be involved in a pod on the Academic Track, serving as peer mentors to early-career faculty.
Key activities of this program include (a) meeting with those in one’s mentoring pod on a regular basis (pace/format will be set by each group according to everyone’s preferences; we recommend a minimum of once a semester), (b) mentoring community gatherings hosted by the Butler Center (roughly once a semester), and (c) larger-group (campus-wide) events focused on celebrating and/or developing faculty mentorship and leadership.
The Mentoring Pods program is not intended to replicate nor substitute mentoring resources available within each faculty’s own unit (which tend to be focused on P&T, grants, and other indicators of professional advancement that are discipline-specific). Instead, this program offers mentoring support on individual and relational thriving in a broader sense, to develop a greater sense of belonging at Purdue.
Potential topics that are particularly appropriate for the Mentoring Pod conversations:
- How and when to say yes vs. no
- Work-life balance
- Time management and juggling multiple demands
- Navigating departmental/college/university politics
- Managing interpersonal relationships at work
- Teaching and mentoring students
- Project team management and supervision
- Building a support network for self and others
The program runs on a yearly cycle. Each cohort will be formed in mid- to late October and be concluded by early October the following year. For example:
Cohort 1: Oct 2025 - Oct 2026
Cohort 2: Oct 2026 - Oct 2027
Who is it for?
All Purdue faculty, including tenure-track and non-tenure-track (e.g., clinical/professional professors; research professors) faculty, are eligible to participate in the Academic Track pods. For the Leadership Track, mentoring pods are open to mid- to advanced-career faculty who are also serving as peer mentors to early-career faculty in the Academic Track pods (exceptions may apply; contact the Butler Center for more info).
I have been part of a mentoring group at the Butler Center before. Can I participate in this again?
YES! It is highly recommended that faculty members participate in our mentoring program across multiple years (i.e., joining multiple mentoring groups over the years) to continue building their own support network and to contribute to the vibrant Purdue mentoring community.
How does it work?
Each pod will commit to meeting together on a regular basis (e.g., twice a semester, once a month) as their schedules allow. To facilitate in-person interactions, the Butler Center will host a series of professional development workshops and social gatherings, which the program participants will be particularly encouraged to attend. Pods are assigned (by the Butler Center program team) based on career stages, interests, and availability, to create diverse and mutually supportive groups.
Apply Here
The deadline for applications is September 30, 2026.