There is an urgent need for minority faculty mentors in higher education, particularly in the field of Communication Science and Disorders (CSD), which encompasses professions such as audiology and speech-language pathology (SLP). The “leaky pipeline” phenomenon is a pressing issue: the persistent attrition of students from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds before reaching graduate or faculty levels. This contributes to a shortage of faculty and a professoriate that does not reflect the diversity of the populations they serve. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 9.8% of its members were from racial or minority backgrounds in 2024, with 7.3% being Hispanic, even though Hispanics make up approximately 18.7% of the total U.S. population (American Speech-LanguageHearing Association, 2024). Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) Allied health programs confront the same challenges in mentoring and underrepresentation.
Previous research on medical education has emphasized the need for institutional mentoring. The report from Tekian et al. (2000) showed that underrepresented minority (URM) students, without access to individualized mentoring or advising, were more likely to leave medical school. Zambrana et al. (2015) also address systemic barriers. For instance, “cultural taxation” makes URM faculty undertake additional work without recognition or compensation, which is usually done to promote diversity and provide mentorship. Additionally, the decreasing number of beneficial mentoring networks and implicit bias in tenure and promotion decisions present further challenges for URM faculty, hindering development and potentially resulting in premature exit from academia.
Carozza (2002) described the difficulties encountered by Hispanic faculty in CSD who often experience isolation, cultural miscommunication, and exclusion from important decision making due to institutional systems. Whitfield (2022) calls for a reimagining of academic structure, urging institutions to rethink career pathways and promote inclusivity through system wide change.
The “pipeline” in education refers to the path students take from starting college to getting a job in their chosen field (Suswaram et al., 2022). However, for URM, this pipeline is often “leaky.” This is because there is a shortage of mentorship programs designed to support individuals at multiple stages of their academic journey. As a result, many URM students leave long before obtaining advanced training or academic positions (Mahendra & Kashinath, 2022: Mohapatra & Mohan, 2021). Institutions need to establish permanent systems that will benefit URM students throughout their academic and professional lives. The gaps will only widen if nothing is done, which will make cycles of exclusion stronger.
Research across disciplines highlights consistent mentorship gaps. Ajibade et al (2025) identified three unmet needs for URM faculty: mentorship for well-being, for balancing community responsibilities and for navigating environments hostile to DEI. Trejo et al. (2021) found only 9% of faculty at UC San Diego Health Sciences were URM but reported increased satisfaction and institutional support after implementing structured mentoring. In CSD, Roberts (2023) surveyed URM graduate students and found that many lacked access to essential “social goods,” emphasizing the need for mentorship and peer support throughout their academic journey (p. 694-697).
Munoz et al. (2023) explores challenges faced by FOC (Faculty of Color) in predominantly White institutions and affirms mentorship as key to career success. Based on interviews with 16 faculty, the study identified key themes such as mentorship types, cultural dynamics, institutional support, and the contrast between effective and ineffective mentoring programs as key to career success.
Mahendra and Kashinath (2022) tracked a yearlong mentorship program with 46 students across three cohorts. Outcomes focused on leadership, culturally responsive practices, and research. Success was measured by degree completion, student perceptions and engagement in academic and community work. The findings are strong. 96% of graduate students who took the praxis passed on the first attempt. 91% of students who took the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) passed. The outcomes suggest that structured mentorship helps URM students prepare both for academic study and employment (p. 533).
Mentorship supports URM faculty and students navigating predominantly White institutions. Zambrana et al. (2015) found mentorship offers “social capital,” "political guidance,” and validation of community-based research, helping URM faculty feel less isolated and avoid early departure from the field (p.60). Whitfield (2022) described mentorship as an essential equity intervention tied to critical race theory. Beech et al. (2013) and Philips et al. (2016) showed structured, culturally aware programs improve retention and satisfaction. Maldonado, et al., (2023) showed that race conscious mentoring significantly improved student experience and professional readiness, highlighting the need for intentional inclusive practices.
This collection of research studies demonstrates that mentorship is not just a simple gesture or professional courtesy, but a structural necessity, especially for URM faculty and students in CSD. Whether through formal institutional programs or peer led initiatives, mentorship plays a vital role in retention, academic success, and long-term career advancement. As the field of CSD grapples with its lack of diversity and systemic injustices; targeted, equity-focused mentorship must be incorporated into academic organizations. Institutions must move beyond performance-based efforts and commit to long-term reform that will enable URM professionals to thrive, lead, and remain in the field.
References:
Ajibade, P. A., Anderson, N., Timmons, C., & Lee, J. Y. (2025). Mentorship as a pathway to equity: Supporting underrepresented minority students in higher education. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000607
American Speech-Language Hearing Association. (2024. 2024 Member and Affiliate Profile. ASHA. https://www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/2024-member-affiliate-profile.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOooALv6zZgmIh7x9iQLWmBjZsQoluWdW7cv5ZBeOAda19u52JRIR
Beech, B. M., Calles-Escandon, J., Hairston, K. G., Langdon, M. S., Latham-Sadler, B. A., & Bell, R. A. (2013). Mentoring programs for underrepresented minority faculty in academic medical centers: A systematic review of the literature. Academic Medicine, 88(4), 541–549. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e31828589e3
Carozza, L. A. (2002). Mentoring minority faculty: Issues and strategies for institutions, faculty, and students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 1(4), 330–355. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192702001004004
Kemzang, T. S., Williams, T., Harris, C. A., & Martin, R. (2023). Building bridges: Mentorship and professional identity development among underrepresented faculty. Journal of Faculty Development, 37(2), 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00987-4
Maldonado, C., Oni, J., & Hynd, C. (2023). The effects of mentorship with speech-language pathologists of color on the professional readiness and emotional support of undergraduate speech-language pathology students. Journal of the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing, 18(1), 32–95. https://doi.org/10.58907/HSQK2809
Mahedra, N., & Kashinath, S. (2022). Mentoring underrepresented students in speech-language pathology: Effects of didactic training, leadership development, and research engagement. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(2), 1290–1302.
Muñoz, M. L., Horton, R., & Johnson, V. E. (2023). Mentoring experiences of faculty of color in communication sciences and disorders. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(4), 1224–1236
Roberts, T. M. (2023). Mentorship and equity in graduate education: Addressing barriers for marginalized students. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 45(5), 612–628. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2023.2215479
Suswaram, S., Perelmutter, B., Keuwo, S., & Gillispie, C. (2022). Examining inclusion in speech-language pathology graduate programs through minoritized students’ advice to a peer. Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, 6(3), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.30707/TLCSD6.3.1660586325.973037
Tekian, A., Jalovecky, M. J., & Hruska, L. (2000). The impact of mentoring programs on URM medical students: A longitudinal study. Medical Education, 34(6), 450–456. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2000.00698.x
Trejo, J., Winograd, D., Hazen, A., & Bortnick, S. (2021). Institutional mentoring initiatives: Expanding opportunities for underrepresented faculty in STEM. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(3), https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.21-01-0009
Whitfield, J. A. (2022). Structural racism in communication sciences and disorders: A call for transformative action. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(3), 1087–1095. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-21-00250
Zambrana, R. E., Ray, R., Espino, M. M., Castro, C., Douthirt-Cohen, B., & Eliason, J. (2015). “Don’t leave us behind”: The importance of mentoring for underrepresented minority faculty. American Educational Research Journal, 52(1), 40–72. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831214563063
About the authors
Dr. Linda Carozza, PhD, CCC-SLP is a faculty in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Pace University and also holds a faculty appointment at NYU Langone Health. She is an active clinician-researcher with extensive experience in adult neurogenic communication disorders. Carozza’s original research reported on the breakdown of language retrieval in individuals with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Dr Carozza’s additional studies include works on quality of life approaches to improving communication, 3 books in speech-language pathology and many related chapters and articles.
Kiara Medina is a graduate student at Pace University in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program. She holds a bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College. Kiara is interested in how mentorship may benefit marginalized students.
Jennifer Rosenstein is the director of the Beekman Library on Pace University’s New York City campus. She holds master’s degrees from Syracuse University and Teachers College, Columbia University. She has also worked as a secondary school librarian and English teacher in the New York City public schools.
