Awards

MIT Mentoring Spot Awards for Faculty

The MIT Mentoring Spot Awards are monthly awards to honor faculty who demonstrate exceptional mentoring of students, postdocs, or faculty colleagues. Nominate a faculty member any time.

About the award

The MIT Mentoring Spot Awards honor faculty members who demonstrate exceptional mentoring of undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and/or faculty colleagues. These monthly awards recognize faculty who go above and beyond in supporting the growth, development, and success of their mentees and recognize in-time contributions to support these goals.

The Mentoring Spot Awards are more informal than the Committed to Caring Award, which honors long-term, exceptional mentoring of graduate students. They recognize specific mentoring practices or actions—big or small—that faculty use to support their mentees, including other faculty, postdocs, and students. The Mentoring Spot Awards celebrate mentoring as a core value of MIT’s academic community and highlight practices that other faculty can learn from and emulate.

Award criteria

Faculty are eligible for the MIT Mentoring Spot Award if they have demonstrated effective mentoring practices or actions in support of any of the following groups: undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and/or faculty colleagues.

Practices or actions could fall into any one of the below areas, but are not limited to these areas.

Providing meaningful guidance and support tailored to mentee needs and career stage
Creating an inclusive and supportive mentoring relationship
Helping mentees develop both professionally and personally
Actively investing time and effort in mentee development and success

Supporting mentee growth in research, teaching, or other professional areas
Helping mentees navigate challenges or transitions.
Fostering confidence and independence in their mentees
Serving as a role model for professional excellence and integrity

Demonstrating commitment to mentoring as part of faculty responsibilities
Promoting a collaborative and supportive academic environment
Sharing mentoring expertise with colleagues
Supporting diverse perspectives and inclusive mentoring practices

Selection process

Nomination and timeline

Complete this nomination form.
Nominations are open throughout the academic year on a rolling monthly basis.
Monthly winners are announced on the first Friday of each month.
Nominations must be submitted by the 20th of each month to be considered for that month’s award.

Who can nominate

Current mentees (undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, faculty)
Colleagues who have observed exceptional mentoring
Department heads or program directors
Self-nominations are welcome

Review committee

Representatives from the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty, Office of Graduate Education and the Office of Vice President for Research
Committee meets monthly to review and select award winners

Award recipients will receive

Recognition in the Provost’s Newsletter
An award certificate
A small gift to recognize your achievement

Sharing best practices

Success stories and mentoring practices from award winners will be shared with the faculty community.
A curated collection of mentoring practices from Spot Award winners will be made available to all faculty.