Associate Professor
Educational Leadership and Policy
malemke@buffalo.edu
I have been fortunate to have knowledgeable, committed, and caring informal and formal mentors throughout my career. Their wisdom and examples guide my mentorship of high school, college, and graduate students, both in the U.S. and abroad. In my view, sound mentoring involves three key things: 1. difference is welcome – mentees and the mentor meet as individual humans with diverse life experiences, identities, goals, and fears, and thus mentoring should evolve in a way that critically enhances mentee strengths, including those that have yet to be defined; 2. demystifying learning processes – whether in high school or in a Ph.D. program, the mentor is a gate opener who helps mentees unpack the hidden curriculum of schooling and who serves as a consistent source of positive reinforcement; and 3. reciprocity when engaging – mutual respect, honesty, being present, and a willingness to listen deeply are essential to maintaining a healthy and reciprocal relationship that allows BOTH the mentor and mentees to grow.