Prensky’s seminal work on digital natives posited that students who grew up with digital technology were naturally digitally skilled and literate (Prensky, 2001). This assumption has been widely debated and, in some instances, debunked, especially in the context of higher education (Ladd et al., 2023; Reid et al., 2023; Smith et al., 2020). And yet the belief that students are inherently digitally literate persists, particularly at the graduate level. Faculty and administrators often expect graduate students to possess a certain level of proficiency with technology, offering minimal resources to develop or enhance these skills.
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
