The Adultspan Journal Fellowship Program: A Structured Mentorship Experience

Authors

Lauren B. Robins, Old Dominion UniversityFollow
Natese R. Dockery, University of KentuckyFollow
Courtney T.K. Chester, Kent UniversityFollow
Crystal Morris, St. Mary's UniversityFollow
Teah Moore, Post UniversityFollow
Zoey Liu, Kent UniversityFollow
Kaprea F. Johnson, The Ohio State UniversityFollow

Abstract

This qualitative study used reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to explore how the Adultspan Journal Fellowship Program, a structured, cohort-based mentorship initiative, supports the development of doctoral students and early-career counselor educators. Grounded in Social Learning Theory, the program integrates hands-on journal management, guided peer review, collaborative writing, and monthly didactic sessions within multi-layered mentorship. Data from asynchronous email interviews and document analysis with seven fellows across two cohorts (2022–2024) yielded four themes: (1) Cultivating Belonging Through Structured Mentorship, highlighting affirming guidance that reduced isolation and built peer networks; (2) Building Confidence and Professional Identity, reflecting growth in scholarly voice, self-efficacy, and faculty readiness; (3) Developing Scholarly and Editorial Expertise, showing gains in peer review, editorial decision-making, and publication workflows that enhanced research and writing practices; and (4) Refining the Fellowship Experience, emphasizing fellows’ calls for clearer onboarding, extended duration, and expanded professional development. Findings suggest that structured, cohort-based mentorship can address gaps in doctoral training by blending authentic editorial tasks with identity-affirming support, offering a replicable model for counselor education programs and editorial boards seeking to build inclusive pipelines of emerging scholars.

Author ORCID Identifier

Lauren B. Robins - https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8898-3499

Kaprea F. Johnson - https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7127-3370

Natese Dockery- https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3051-454X 

Crystal Morris- https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5780-8105

Submission Requirements Checklist

1

Recommended Citation

Robins, Lauren B.; Dockery, Natese R.; Chester, Courtney T.K.; Morris, Crystal; Moore, Teah; Liu, Zoey; and Johnson, Kaprea F. (2026) "The Adultspan Journal Fellowship Program: A Structured Mentorship Experience," Adultspan Journal: Vol. 25: Iss. 1, Article 1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33470/2161-0029.1216
Available at: https://mds.marshall.edu/adsp/vol25/iss1/1