The Transformative Dyad: Exploring Relational Mentorship Qualities in Undergraduate Research Development

This review will examine the relational features and shared qualities within the mentor-mentee dyad. Faculty mentorship is of vital importance for undergraduate (UG) students interested in pursuing advanced degrees and professions in research. Objective skill outcomes, such as technical skills and factual knowledge, have been a dominant focus of mentee development research (Tuma & Dolan, 2024; Wang & Shibayama, 2021) and are performance-focused or achievement-based outcomes. While necessary, these outcomes are not sufficient. Interpersonal skills may have an equally beneficial influence on UG research mentorship experiences. A focus on integrating relational mentoring styles has the potential to increase UG mentee growth beyond the traditional objective outcomes, (Fullick-Jagiela et al., 2015; Wang & Shibayama, 2021). It is hypothesized that the development of such skills is more dependent on relational qualities and mentorship style, including deep-level similarities, such as interests, perspectives, and values, between mentor and mentee (Tuma & Dolan, 2024). Although the transfer of technical or factual knowledge is a more measurable and an often prioritized outcome in research and practice, this review will focus on relational mentorship as a channel for internalization of skills such as creativity, ingenuity, and willingness to be bold in translating and communicating ideas and questions evoked through research engagement. The experience offered in relational mentor-mentee dyads can be transformative in both the domain of technical, performance-based gains and in more nuanced ways, as seen in gains in the individual identity and self-efficacy of the UG student (Fullick-Jagiela et al., 2015; Tuma & Dolan, 2024).