The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources presented Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Human Resources with the Successful Practices Award for its Staff Mentoring Circles Program.
The award is presented to an individual or team that demonstrates creativity, process improvement or professional achievement through the implementation of a significant new practice that contributes to the overall excellence of the institution’s human resources programs, services and/or administration.
The Staff Mentoring Circles Program is a yearlong professional development and mentoring initiative for Case Western Reserve staff, created in response to ongoing feedback from long-standing and newly hired employees who attempt to manage information flow across campus and by departments within divisions. These network circles aim to increase the exchange of information between members of different department/units within the university. The network circles also were designed to enhance personal and professional skills, forge new relationships and develop strategies to increase performance. The model of a mentoring circle lends itself to an open exchange and dialogue of various perspectives, including informal support networks.
The members of the Staff Mentoring Advisory Committee are:
- Melissa Burrows, faculty diversity officer;
- Kathleen Dowdell, co-chair of staff training and development in the College of Arts and Sciences and department assistant IV in the Department of Anthropology;
- Shirley Mosley, director, Office of Human Resources’ Division of Organizational Development and Learning;
- Mitzi Vazquez-Long, manager, Office of Human Resources’ Division of Organizational Development and Learning.