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Doctoral Mentoring AwardsThe University of Florida Graduate School encourages and rewards graduate faculty for excellence, innovation and effectiveness in mentoring andadvising doctoral and graduate students through their dissertation or thesis projects. The recipients of the 2013-2014 award, and excerpts from theirpersonal statements, follow.2014 SPRINGCommencement16Leslie AndersonProfessorDepartment of Political ScienceCollege of Liberal Artsand SciencesLeslie Anderson uses a seriesof metaphors to describe hermentoring process.The “tool box” introducesstudents to the many methodspolitical scientists use to collectdata. “Finding the edge of the world” allows studentsto find the end of knowledge in their field so they candefine a dissertation project that allows them to chart acourse toward a new area of study.A research topic, she says, should be an “oversized jacket,”allowing them room to grow. The metaphor, “launchingfrom Cape Canaveral,” asks students to view theirdissertation not as an end to an academic journey buta point from which to launch a robust career, by askinga major scholarly question that can not only result in adoctorate but also take them all the way to tenure.Finally, she uses the “learner’s permit” metaphor.Students learn to drive with an adult at their side, buteventually, “. . . one must drive – and do scholarlyresearch – alone.”As graduate coordinator for her department,Dr. Anderson has ample opportunity to use themetaphors.Ido Oren, chair of the department of political science,describes Dr. Anderson as a pillar of the department’sPh.D. program, chairing 25 doctoral committees, with sixcurrent Ph.D. candidates.“The quality of Leslie’s mentoring is at least as impressiveas its quantity,” Dr. Oren says. “It is clear that Leslie treatsher students as unique human beings before anythingelse.”Former student Lee D. Walker, now an associate professorof political science at the University of South Carolina,said Dr. Anderson encourages each student to be his orher best academic self.Jonathan Jones, a 2009 doctoral graduate, said heencountered setbacks during his field work in Indiabut was prepared to meet the challenges because ofDr. Anderson's continued support and confidence inhis abilities.Ann HorgasAssociate ProfessorDepartment of Adult andElderly NursingCollege of NursingAnn Horgas says she hasgained as much frommentoring her students inthe College of Nursing asthey have gained from her.Students and colleagues saythat graciousness is typical.Former student Lois Ellis, now the director of nursingprograms at Santa Fe College, said she encounteredan assortment of challenges when she returned toschool after 25 years. As a part-time student employedfulltime, Dr. Ellis said Dr. Horgas was so sensitive tohelping her juggle commitments that they even met atStarbucks on occasion.“I often sent her long emails full of questions andconcerns, and she always responded patiently and withthoughtful and helpful answers,” Dr. Ellis said.Dr. Horgas went to great lengths to help her, especiallyconsidering that Dr. Horgas experienced a death in thefamily as Dr. Ellis was due for her qualifying exam. Tohelp her stay on track, Dr. Ellis said Dr. Horgas arrangeda temporary committee member and a new chair.“I was amazed that, under the circumstances, she wouldso calmly and carefully ensure that my needs as a studentwere considered,” Dr. Ellis said.Mentee Mindy S. Grall also saw Dr. Horgas rise aboveher hardships. “. . . through her model behavior, Ilearned the true meaning of resilience, leadership,honor, and responsibility,” Dr. Grall said.“A mentor also leaves a mark on the mentee that timecannot erase,” she said.Department of Adult and Elderly Nursing Chair JoyceStechmiller said it is a testament to her teaching thattwo of former Dr. Horgas' mentees have been hired asassistant professors in the department. One mentee,Toni L. Glover, said Dr. Horgas continues to mentor heras a new faculty member.College of Nursing Dean Anna M. McDaniel says,“Dr. Horgas' work is particularly important given thesevere national shortage in our discipline.”