The Prevalence and Nature of Service Academy Mentoring: A Study of Navy Midshipmen

Mentoring relationships (mentorships) are often considered essential for the effective career development of junior professionals in a range of fields. Although research on mentorships in the military indicates that mentoring correlates with both success and satisfaction, we know little about the mentorships of officers in training. In this study, 568 midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) responded to a survey regarding their experience of having been mentored at USNA. Results indicated that 45% of midshipmen are mentored and that women are more likely to have a mentor (63%) than men (42%). Mentored midshipmen were significantly more satisfied with USNA, viewed mentorships as more important, and were more active mentors themselves. Salient mentor characteristics and functions were highly correlated with both personal and professional development. The authors discuss the implications of these findings and offer recommendations for extending this research.