I spent a decade of my time as a faculty member and academic leader in a very small art college with an enrollment of less than 150. The enrollment was so small and the community so close that I used to joke that one didn’t take attendance in class; rather, you just looked around the room and let people know who had left their lights on in the parking lot and who needed to air up their tires a bit before the drive home.
Reciprocity over Hierarchy: Designing and Implementing a Student-Led Reverse Mentoring Program
Many academic leaders, including administrators and faculty members, participate in traditional mentoring programs that prioritize hierarchy. But these programs typically don’t foster engagement and connection between students and faculty or
Marquita Lyons-Smith and Keva Suitte
October 19, 2026
