Mentorship and Measurable Change: A Personal Journey in a Reciprocal, Research-Driven Model

• In Event: Cultivating Urban Education Leaders: A Collaborative Mentorship Model for Systemic Transformation

Abstract

This autoethnographic study examines mentorship within the Urban Education Collaborative (UEC), revealing a reciprocal model that integrates research, leadership, and advocacy. Drawing from my transition from K-12 education to academia, I explore how structured yet flexible mentorship shaped my professional trajectory as a postdoctoral fellow. The UEC's research-driven approach positioned mentees as co-constructors of knowledge through reciprocal learning between faculty, fellows, and graduate students. A personalized tracking system monitoring scholarly outputs provided data-driven insights into productivity patterns and strategic interventions. This narrative demonstrates how mentorship extends beyond professional guidance to serve as a counterforce to systemic inequities in academia. By balancing structure with flexibility, this mentorship model supports scholars in navigating academia while fostering equity, resilience, and sustained scholarly impact.

Authors

• Raketa Ouedraogo-Thomas, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Kerri A. Ullucci, Roger Williams University