As a history professor, I have mentored many undergraduates in their research. Instinctively, I tend to mentor them as I had been mentored: I interact with each student one-on-one and help them develop a research plan, ask probing questions, and guide their learning. But in 2016 I began exploring a different approach. Instead of following the traditional mentor-protégé relationship, I sought to create a team-based multi-mentor model as part of a new long-term undergraduate research opportunity.

A multi-mentor model is a team-based approach in which multiple members perform various and distinct roles. Each person, then, contributes to and guides the learning and professional growth of the others (Bradley et al., 2017). Team-based research is more pervasive in STEM and social science fields than in history. I found, however, this method also has distinct benefits for my students. Here some of the key lessons I have learned over the last three years about the challenges and benefits to multi-mentor research in the humanities.

The Project

The Dutch Church Book Provenance Project, as it is known, is an international effort led by the Dutch Church and Lambeth Palace Library. Essentially, the project aims to research and catalog the historic Dutch Church Library, a collection dating back to the church’s creation in 1550 as a refuge in England for foreign Protestants during the Reformation. Dutch clergy, influential merchants, and political figures donated books to the library over the years. As a result, it provides a lens through which to view the history of the Dutch in London. Following the Second World War, church leaders gave most of the library to Lambeth Palace, where it resides today. Although no list exists of the donated volumes, the books can be visually identified by markings on the spine.

Each summer, I travel to London with students from the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) to perform a number of tasks. These include identifying and cataloguing books in Lambeth Palace Library that once belonged to the Dutch Church, researching the books’ provenance to understand better how the collection came about, and contributing to an online, searchable database of the historical collection. Data collected by the students also will be added to the Lambeth Palace Library catalog and, eventually, to the Dutch Short Title Catalog and Universal Short Title Catalog.

Overcoming the Challenges

It was the group research aspect of this project that practically required me to move away from the mentor-protégé model towards a multi-mentor construction. One key challenge I encountered, however, was creating a team to guide the students’ learning. This step can often require reaching out to scholars and professionals beyond one’s own disciplinary expertise or networks. For instance, in this project, a team of mentors joins me in working with the students including the director of UCO’s museum studies program, book conservationists, and archivists and librarians. Moreover, the team hails from Lambeth Palace, the Dutch Church, London Metropolitan Archives, and the British Library. Each mentor brings skills to the project that they can share with the students.

Another challenge is creating avenues for the students to develop expertise to share with the group. Expertise can come in the form of knowledge about Greek or Latin grammar and literature, for example, or subject knowledge like the history of print. For each student, then, this expertise can be different, and mentors work with them to identify areas of expertise and contributions they can make to the goals of the project. Additionally, frequent opportunities are provided for participants to share their knowledge with the group.

Seeing the Benefits of a Multi-Mentor model

We know undergraduate research leads to a deeper socialization in the field and builds stronger relationships between students and mentors. Through my work on this project, I have found three additional benefits to multi-mentor research that are noteworthy. First, students involved in the project report a broader understanding of the term “mentor.” They move away from looking at me as the sole expert while, at the same time, move towards recognizing the diverse expertise and perspective that each member brings to the team.

In addition, students can easily network with other professionals engaged in the project, and they develop confidence in their knowledge and contribution to the research. Furthermore, scholars in other disciplines have found similar results in group research experiences (Dobrow & Higgins, 2005; Nicholson et al., 2017; Raggins & Kram, 2007). Clearly, this confidence enables the students to work together towards a common goal. They are able to see what needs to be done, to identify the skills each person contributes, to organize and delegate the duties among the team, and to take responsibility for their part in accomplishing the tasks.

Conclusion

Clearly, humanities students gain from undergraduate research opportunities. Developing multi-mentor experiences can add to these benefits by creating opportunities for students to work in a context of interdependence. Consequently, these experiences expand the definition of mentors. Additionally, they expose participants to diverse viewpoints and methods, and emphasize teamwork and communication. As a result, skills developed through multi-mentor research can prepare further our students for whatever career they should choose.

References

Bradley, Evan D., Michelle Bata, et al. “The Structure of Mentoring in Undergraduate Research: Multi-Mentor Models.” CUR Quarterly 1, no. 2 (2017): 35-42.

Dobrow, Shoshana R. and Monica C. Higgins. “Developmental networks and professional identity: A longitudinal study.” Career Development International 10 (2005): 567-83.

Nicholson, Brittany A., Meagen Pollock, et al. “Beyond the Mentor-Mentee Model: A Case for Multi Mentoring in Undergraduate Research.” Perspectives on Undergraduate Research and Mentoring 6, no. 1 (2017): 1–14.

Ragins, Belle Rose and Kathy E. Kram. The Handbook of Mentoring at Work: Theory, Research, and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2007.

(Note: the above post is based upon a poster Michael Springer presented at the Undergraduate Research Programs Directors Conference in 2019.)