  Effective and ethical mentorship practices are crucial to improving
recruitment and retention especially for historically minoritized groups
(HMGs). Spectrum is a diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility (DEIA)
grassroots organization committed to empowering equitable excellence through
sustainable change. By improving transparency and DEIA within the fields of
physics and astronomy, we can empower the next generation of diverse scientists
and increase field retention. Starting within our home department at George
Mason University and moving outwards, we ensure our students leave as advocates
for DEIA and AJEDI (access, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) through
education and mentorship. Spectrum is providing professionally trained peer
mentors to aid students in all facets of their academic and personal lives.
Although the peer mentoring program existed since the creation of Spectrum in
Spring 2020, we have recently developed and implemented a formal mentorship
training for both student and faculty mentors thus increasing the quality,
trustworthiness, and confidence of our mentors. Using the latest mentorship
research available, this training is developed by Spectrum for George Mason
University, with the ability to implement the training at any institution.
