Building Community, Confidence, and Capacity for Advancement and Leadership Through Regional Inter-Institutional Peer Alliances

Regional inter-institutional peer alliances contribute to the professional growth and leadership development of faculty. This chapter provides a case study for establishing an effective peer mentoring program incorporating impactful approaches that lead to career advancement. Key components of network development include creating a community focused on a shared purpose; developing a supportive, trusting culture within the community; designing a structure to build capacity and realize goals; identifying resources to advance objectives; and expanding the network. Faculty participants reported that peer networks provided a sense of inclusion and empowerment, which fostered resilience in the face of both expected and unexpected challenges; they experienced increased confidence and professional advancement. Peer support not only benefits the individual but promotes the collective advancement of groups, which leads to powerful institutional change.