BAM! (Bold Academic Mentoring) is a graduate and professional student mentoring program that brings together scholars from a broad spectrum of life circumstances, including those who have taken non-traditional routes to higher education.
About the Program
Each year, 15 scholars are selected to participate in enrichment experiences in the fall and spring, along with monthly gatherings throughout the academic year. Through structured workshops, mentorship engagement, and cohort-based learning, participants strengthen academic skills such as writing, research design, CV preparation, grant development, and fellowship applications while building meaningful relationships across disciplines.
Grounded in evidence-informed practices, the program addresses historic opportunity gaps in traditional academic networks and prepares scholars to lead with confidence, resilience, and integrity. Participants cultivate the courage and global leadership necessary to navigate advanced academic environments, contribute knowledge, and engage meaningfully within Tulane, New Orleans, and the broader scholarly community.
Fall and Spring Enrichment Days
Participants engage in two-day-long enrichment experiences each academic year. These immersive sessions focus on advanced skill development, mentorship dialogue, and leadership formation. Workshops emphasize academic writing, research design, professional identity development, and preparation for grants and fellowships, while creating space for reflection and community building.
Throughout the year, participants meet monthly to continue skill development and strengthen cohort relationships. These gatherings provide structured opportunities to discuss academic challenges, refine professional materials such as CVs and research statements, and engage with mentors and guest leaders.
Participants connect with faculty, administrators, and community leaders from Tulane, New Orleans, and broader academic networks. Through guided conversation and intentional networking, scholars develop the skills to initiate, sustain, and evaluate mentorship relationships in diverse professional contexts. BAM! approaches mentorship holistically, bringing in different types of mentors to cultivate members a true community rather than one assigned mentor.
Application for the 2027-2028 Cohort Coming Soon.
BAM! is co-hosted by the Office of Academic Excellence and Opportunity, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and the Carolyn Barber-Pierre Center for Intercultural Life.
Program Goals
Academic Skill Development and Leadership
Participants engage in structured workshops and guided reflection that connect technical competencies, such as writing, research design, grant preparation, and professional documentation, to broader questions of leadership and responsibility in academic and clinical spaces. The program emphasizes how scholarly integrity fosters confidence, credibility, and effective global leadership.
Participants will be able to:
- Explain how scholarly integrity contributes to building confidence and effective global leadership in academic settings
- Demonstrate confidence in their academic, research, or clinical presence in learning and professional environments
Meaningful Mentorship Relationships
Participants examine the characteristics of effective mentorship, including reciprocity, accountability, cultural awareness, and professional alignment. Through engagement with mentors across disciplines and experiences, scholars learn to navigate and cultivate relationships that support long-term academic and professional growth.
Participants will be able to:
- Describe the key characteristics of meaningful mentorship relationships within Tulane, New Orleans, and the global academic community
- Analyze how mentorship dynamics may differ across institutional, local, and global contexts
Through cohort dialogue and leadership development exercises, participants reflect on barriers within advanced academic environments and identify strategies for sustaining momentum, confidence, and purpose. The program frames resilience not as individual endurance alone, but as a skill strengthened through community, preparation, and strategic action.
Participants will be able to:
- Explain the role of resilience in overcoming academic challenges
- Analyze how boldness can influence a scholar’s ability to navigate obstacles and pursue leadership opportunities