**8. Conclusion**

Mentoring in higher education continues to be crucial to the development of a sense of community of scholars at colleges and universities. The pandemic shifted the way colleges and universities function by limiting personal contact. As we emerge from the pandemic shutdowns and restrictions, we need to return to the deliberate development of mentoring relationships, which our study has shown is so valuable in maintaining and sustaining the academy. This study has demonstrated that it is especially important for women academics who, unfortunately, still have too few role models in higher education leadership. Formal mentoring programs may address this need although informal mentoring is more effective overall.

### **8.1 Suggestions for future research**

Further research about the effects of mentoring on faculty and staff job satisfaction may be helpful in explaining what has been called the great resignation in higher education. Research should investigate whether limited available mentors may be associated with faculty and staff burnout and resignation. The Chronicle of Higher Education has identified the "Great Faculty Disengagement" [41]. In short, many faculty, who have not left academia during the great resignation, have become disengaged with their profession. Research is needed to determine if mentorship may intervene and help faculty develop and maintain a sense of engagement with their profession. Others have observed that faculty are using social media to create communities that respond to this disengagement, and this application of social media should also be examined more thoroughly [41].
