Beyond the Handshake: Building Meaningful Mentoring Networks in Academia and Beyond

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

Networking doesn’t have to feel like a transaction, it can be a genuine act of connection, care, and community-building. In this fireside chat, graduate students and early-career scholars join seasoned mentors to reflect on how relationships in academia evolve beyond formal advising. Through candid conversation, panelists will share how they’ve built networks grounded in shared purpose, mutual respect, and authenticity. Together, they’ll explore what it means to reach out with intention, sustain connections across differences, and navigate the discomfort that often comes with self-promotion and visibility.

Sub Unit

• Graduate Student Council

Chair

• Cammie Justus-Smith, Virginia Commonwealth University

Panelists

• Nora Dominguez, University of New Mexico

• Kathleen Mary Cowin, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Edith P. Middleton, Teachers College, Columbia University