Other Titles
From Challenge to Champion: Redefining Mentorship to Enhance Minority Student Outcomes [Title Slide]
Abstract
While the field of nursing has recently focused on diversifying the workforce through increased access to education, students from underrepresented populations often face challenges navigating the academic and clinical demands of institutional programs (Hill & Albert, 2021). Barriers such as a lack of role models and insufficient culturally responsive support systems frequently result in feelings of inadequacy and diminished confidence, hindering student success (Ortega et al., 2020).
Mentorship is critical in promoting the success of underrepresented students (Johnson et al., 2022). However, traditional mentorship models often yield inconsistent results, particularly in addressing sociocultural, generational, and educational divides (Williams, 2023). Innovative approaches, including peer-to-peer and reverse mentorship structures, have shown promise in fostering academic resilience and success among minority populations (Jones & Carter, 2021). Building on insights, this study examines the efficacy of the resilient mentor model.
This model engages graduate students who have failed or withdrawn from at least one course in their degree program to serve as peer teachers for during their gap year. Participants take on the role of educator while preparing for reintegration into the program. This approach fosters resilience, enhances mastery of course material, and rebuilds self-confidence, leading to academic and professional success.
This mixed-method study examines program completion, board certification success, and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were collected from academic records, including transcripts, certifications, and career trajectories of 10 participants from Spring 2021 to Fall 2024. Qualitative data captured participants’ experiences and perceptions of the mentorship model.
Findings reveal themes such as the socioemotional impact of mentorship on success, tensions within mentorship partnerships, power dynamics, and challenges of balancing new roles with academic demands. Long-term benefits include sustained resilience, external support networks, and participants’ desire to return as faculty after graduation.
This study highlights the potential of innovative mentorship models to strengthen pipelines for minority faculty, reduce student attrition rates, and foster institutional culture shifts. These findings offer actionable insights for enhancing diversity and equity in the nursing workforce.
Notes
References:
Clarke, A. J., Burgess, A., van Diggele, C., & Mellis, C. (2019). The role of reverse mentoring in medical education: Current insights. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 10, 693–701. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S179303
Hill, S., & Albert, N. M. (2021). Understanding the experiences of African American nursing students. Journal of Nursing Education, 60(3), 150+. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20210222-05
Johannessen, B., Flateland, S., Haraldstad, K., Skisland, A., & Rohde, G. (2022). Being an ethnic minority nursing student – A meta-synthesis. Journal of Professional Nursing, 40, 111–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.03.011
Mokel, M. J., Behnke, L. M., Gatewood, E., Mihaly, L. K., Newberry, E. B., Lovence, K., Ro, K., Bellflower, B. B., & Tabi, M. (2022). Mentoring and support for underrepresented nursing faculty: An integrative research review. Nurse Educator, 47(2), 81–85. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001089
Ortega, J., Gonzalez, J. M., Crenshaw, N., Snowden, K., & De Tantillo, L. (2020). Supporting graduate nursing education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(5), 287–290. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20200422-10 (Original work published May 1, 2020)
Osakwe, Z., Obioha, C., Minuti, A., Atairu, M., & Osborne, J. (2022). Barriers and facilitators to success in undergraduate nursing education among minority students. Nurse Educator, 47(2), E18–E23. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001154
Williams, C. (2024). Reverse mentoring in nursing education. Nurse Educator, 49(3), 137–140. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001534
Sigma Membership
Eta Sigma
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Mentoring and Coaching, Workforce, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Nursing Education, Advances in Education, Undergraduate Nursing Students, Underrepresented Populations, Resilience, Reverse Mentorships
Recommended Citation
Kavanaugh, Alanna Elizabeth and Nicholson, George, "From Challenge to Champion: When the Student Becomes the Coach" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 213.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/213
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-08
From Challenge to Champion: When the Student Becomes the Coach
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
While the field of nursing has recently focused on diversifying the workforce through increased access to education, students from underrepresented populations often face challenges navigating the academic and clinical demands of institutional programs (Hill & Albert, 2021). Barriers such as a lack of role models and insufficient culturally responsive support systems frequently result in feelings of inadequacy and diminished confidence, hindering student success (Ortega et al., 2020).
Mentorship is critical in promoting the success of underrepresented students (Johnson et al., 2022). However, traditional mentorship models often yield inconsistent results, particularly in addressing sociocultural, generational, and educational divides (Williams, 2023). Innovative approaches, including peer-to-peer and reverse mentorship structures, have shown promise in fostering academic resilience and success among minority populations (Jones & Carter, 2021). Building on insights, this study examines the efficacy of the resilient mentor model.
This model engages graduate students who have failed or withdrawn from at least one course in their degree program to serve as peer teachers for during their gap year. Participants take on the role of educator while preparing for reintegration into the program. This approach fosters resilience, enhances mastery of course material, and rebuilds self-confidence, leading to academic and professional success.
This mixed-method study examines program completion, board certification success, and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were collected from academic records, including transcripts, certifications, and career trajectories of 10 participants from Spring 2021 to Fall 2024. Qualitative data captured participants’ experiences and perceptions of the mentorship model.
Findings reveal themes such as the socioemotional impact of mentorship on success, tensions within mentorship partnerships, power dynamics, and challenges of balancing new roles with academic demands. Long-term benefits include sustained resilience, external support networks, and participants’ desire to return as faculty after graduation.
This study highlights the potential of innovative mentorship models to strengthen pipelines for minority faculty, reduce student attrition rates, and foster institutional culture shifts. These findings offer actionable insights for enhancing diversity and equity in the nursing workforce.
Description
Participants explore the innovative Resilient Mentor Model, designed to support underrepresented graduate nursing students through peer teaching roles. Session highlights the model's impact on academic resilience, program completion, and board certification success, offering actionable strategies to diversify nursing education pipelines.