The Office for Faculty Affairs offers many mentoring programs for faculty and recognizes outstanding departmental and faculty mentorship. These programs and awards are designed to support faculty growth and achievement.

Mentoring Programs

Faculty Affairs provides mentoring workshops for new faculty and postdocs as well as workshops to help faculty become more effective mentors for graduate students.  Learn more about these mentoring programs below.

Bridge Program

The Bridge Program is a mentoring program for new faculty to help them transition to the University of Arkansas. This program consists of two components: a six-session workshop series offered in the fall and spring semesters, and recommended onboarding department-level protocol for new faculty with best practices using an innovative, team-based approach. Learn more.

Mentoring Graduate Students Workshop

This eight-session series offers an informative way for all faculty to improve mentoring skills, including suggestions on how to supervise, inspire, support, and professionally develop their graduate student mentees. Learn more.

Peer Mentoring Circles

Peer Mentoring Circles are created intentionally to support faculty at different stages of their careers. They provide a space for connection outside a faculty member's home department and encourage cross-campus relationships. Each Circle is facilitated by a more seasoned colleague and meets once per month to learn from one another, share strategies for success, and discuss challenges in a supportive environment. Learn more.

Postdoctoral Professional Development Workshop Series

Faculty Affairs, in partnership with the Division of Research and Innovation, offers a year-long workshop series for postdoctoral researchers and scholars.  The workshop provides participants with overall career guidance, job search strategies, information about important resources, networking opportunities and more. Learn more.

To participate or learn more about the mentoring programs available to faculty, contact facdev@uark.edu.

Mentorship Awards

In addition, the Office for Faculty Affairs recognizes outstanding mentorship at both an individual level and a departmental level with the following awards — the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award and the Provost Award for Departmental Excellence in Faculty Mentoring.  Nominations and submissions are currently being accepted for these awards. Learn more about these awards below.

Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award

The Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award provides the opportunity to recognize and celebrate an individual faculty member who has had an impact and contributed to the success of other faculty members. All non-tenure track, pre-tenure and mid-career faculty members can nominate a faculty mentor for the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award.

Nominations are accepted online throughout the year. In mid-March 2026, the Office for Faculty Affairs Advisory Committee will select outstanding mentors to be recognized during the Provost's Faculty Recognition Reception to be held the second week of April during Faculty Appreciation Week.

The award will be given to outstanding faculty mentors who help promote teaching, research and service excellence, encourage a healthy work-life balance, foster their mentees' professional development and create avenues for mentee recognition. Those who receive this award also cultivate faculty career advancement and belonging, assist mentees in building their professional networks and advocate for their mentees. 

Visit the Faculty Affairs website for nomination forms, eligibility guidelines and more information.

Departmental Excellence in Faculty Mentoring 

The Provost Award for Departmental Excellence in Faculty Mentoring recognizes a department on campus that has a strong faculty mentoring program. Faculty can nominate their department and submit a proposal to be considered for this award.

The winning department will receive $8,000 and a university plaque recognizing their achievement.  The winning department will also be asked to share and showcase its mentoring program with other units on campus.

The award will be given to the department or academic unit on campus that best displays excellence in onboarding, mentoring and professional development of tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty.

Departmental applications are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2026, on the Faculty Affairs website. For additional guidelines, selection criteria and more information, contact Anna Zajicek, vice provost for faculty affairs, at azajicek@uark.edu or Stephanie Adams, director of faculty development, at facdev@uark.edu.

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About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.