"Constructive Diversity describes the environment of the UNM Health Sciences Center. This is a place where each of us benefit from the experiences, cultures, and backgrounds of one another." - R. Philip Eaton, MD Vice President for Health Sciences

Pathways to Success by Cathleen Rineer-Garber In an effort to attract and retain a high quality, diverse workforce, the UNM Health Sciences Center (HSC) is introducing Pathways to Success, a mentorship program designed specifically for HSC staff. A nine-month pilot program will be launched in November. According to Louella Lopez, Senior Human Resources Consultant, the program is designed to enhance the employment experience and increase job satisfaction, create a more inclusive work environment, provide opportunities for career development and encourage retention. "This program was created from the recommendations and support of our STAR Council. It was through their involvement that we were able to build a comprehensive and meaningful program. We are excited to finally bring it to fruition." The STAR Council is a group of Native American, Hispanic, African American and Asian American community leaders who provide program advice and referral support to the HSC in its ongoing effort to promote diversity in the workplace. The program will pair experienced HSC staff members (mentors) with less experienced staff members (mentees) who are new to the HSC community. Both mentees and mentors will benefit from participation. "We hope that mentors and mentees will experience an increased level of job satisfaction through positive exchanges of ideas and experiences. We also hope the program will enhance employees' professional growth and increase their awareness of diverse perspectives," says Lopez. Mentees will be matched with mentors who can share their managerial/leadership knowledge, technical skills and expertise, and knowledge of the HSC community, as well as provide ongoing encouragement, feedback and advice. In addition to regular monthly meetings between mentors and mentees, participants will have the opportunity to attend the Strength Through Diversity Brown Bag Speaker Series, which will feature speakers on a variety of topics including ethnicity and diversity, gender, age and generation and emotional intelligence. "The Brown Bag Sessions are an opportunity for us to share our diverse perspective with one another and gain respect for what makes us each unique. To build an inclusive work environment, we need to step beyond that and identify what we all have in common. These sessions will provide real tools and techniques for doing just that!" The nine-part series will be held on the HSC campus throughout the year. According to Lopez, the Pathways to Success mentorship program was developed by a handful of HSC staff members who have worked very hard to develop a program that will help new employees acculturate to the HSC community. Now, says Lopez, the committee is ready to recruit participants. "We are already letting new employees know about the mentorship program and their opportunity to become mentees." "We are also looking for established staff members who want to become mentors," says Lopez. "The success of this program depends a great deal on recruiting effective, dedicated mentors. We have a great group of people here at the HSC, I'm sure we'll have plenty of volunteers." If you would like to become a mentor or mentee, or would just like more information on the program, contact Valerie Grant, Human Resources Marketing and Recruitment Specialist, at 272-3438.   Missed a feature story? Click here to browse our features archive.

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