investigating the benefits of mentorship
Mentoring makes a difference in one's career, says Dr. Stacy Blake-Beard, associate professor at the SOM and research faculty member at the Center for Gender in Organizations. "Access to the support and guidance offered by mentoring relationships is becoming increasingly more important in the career development and advancement of women. Organizations are also using mentoring as a tool to increase retention of employees and expand their opportunities for leadership development. I am particularly interested in the effect of growing workforce diversity on mentoring relationships, the issues women face as they develop mentoring relationships, and the dynamics of formal mentoring programs in both corporate and educational settings."
Blake-Beard received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan. Her thesis - "The Changing Face of Mentoring in Diverse Organizations" - launched what's been nearly ten years of research on the topic of mentoring. With over a dozen publications and more than 50 presentations on the topic, she has firmly established herself as an expert on mentoring and is quoted often on the topic by local and national media outlets.
Prior to coming to the SOM in 2002 to teach Organizational Behavior, Blake-Beard worked for Procter & Gamble and Xerox and taught at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education for six years. Her transition to Simmons has been a rewarding one. "I was quite happy teaching at Harvard, but then I was exposed to Simmons's School of Management through my post-doctorate work with its Center for Gender and Organizations. I knew right away this could be a great fit. I chose to accept a teaching position at the SOM because of its commitment to women, leadership, and diversity - all areas I'm passionate about and committed to as well."
Blake-Beard says she has been impressed with the caliber of students that attend the SOM. "With each class that I teach at the SOM, I am impressed with the stellar students and the quality of our classroom interactions and learning. The school is graduating truly remarkable women who attain power and position within their respective fields. As I socialize in the Boston community personally and professionally, I continue to come across great women business leaders who are graduates of the SOM. It confirms for me the importance of the school's mission to educate women for leadership and power and the excellent job it's doing to attain that goal. I'm extremely proud to be affiliated with the SOM and its efforts."