48: The Evaluation Bridge: Mentoring the Next Gen Beyond the Basics

As the evaluation field continues to evolve and grow, the question of how we prepare and support new evaluators, whether students or early-career professionals, has become increasingly important. Research reveals consistent and persistent gaps between formal academic training evaluators receive and practical competencies required in the field. These gaps are particularly evident in areas such as interpersonal communication, reflective practice, ethical reasoning, and evaluative judgment skills that are not easily taught through coursework. Drawing on a review of literature, this session will invite discussion of the limitations of current training practices for new evaluators, explore insights on training and support for emerging professionals, and shed light on how mentoring can address the gaps between formal training (obtained through coursework) and becoming a professional evaluator. It also aims to provide a deeper understanding of the role of mentoring in evaluation capacity building and offer concrete ideas for its implementation.

Trisha Douin-Manning – Evaluation Specialist, Evaluation Center, University of Kentucky; Olukemi Kolawole – Project Manager, Evaluation Center, University of Kentucky; Philip Meersman – PhD Student, Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation, University of Kentucky; Carolyn Oldham, PhD – Associate Director, Evaluation Center, University of Kentucky