Mohinder Singh Seehra Lecture: “Five Values and Practices for Mentoring Thriving Graduate Students”

Mohinder Singh Seehra Lecture: “Five Values and Practices for Mentoring Thriving Graduate Students” In this workshop sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund will discuss her own experiences setting up a PhD program that foregrounds mentoring. She will also lead workshop participants through the latest research on academic mentoring as well as train participants in five values (such as relational humility, confidence, sponsoring diversity) and practices (such as developing mentoring contracts) that strong mentors use to support their students. Elaine Howard Ecklund is a sociologist and author exploring how religious and ethical commitments shape work, leadership, and public life. She holds the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences at Rice University, where she serves as Professor of Sociology and directs the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. Her research highlights how pluralism can serve as a vital asset in professional life. Date: Friday Sept 18, 2026 Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm Format: Virtual Register by September 11 by visiting: https://wvu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eLMopEaHfCvYFmu The events are organized by the WVU ADVANCE Center, sponsored by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. The Mohindar Singh Seehra Endowment was created to provide funds to host a guest speaker to explore topics related to the challenges involved in combining and balancing a professional career with a family life.