Horizontal Mentoring, It's Not Just for Students Anymore

As we focus on preparing our students for the 21^st Century Workplace, it is critical for faculty to focus on their own professional and personal development.  The professional health and vitality of faculty has a direct impact on student learning and development.  At some liberal arts colleges, small department sizes can have a negative impact on the ability of faculty to stay current and to meet the diverse expectations of their roles in the college.  This paper reports on efforts to build alliances of women faculty from similar institutions for the purpose of horizontal mentoring.  These alliances provide excellent sources of outside perspective, fresh ideas, and alternative strategies for facing the academic, professional and personal challenges encountered in small college environments.