Awards and Recognition

Margo Murray Award for Excellent Results in Mentoring at the Societal Level 

The Margo Murray Award for Excellent Results in Mentoring at the Societal Level, is focused on a mentoring program or organization (cannot be a pilot program) that has demonstrated positive societal impact with measured results and mentoring best practices.  Its inaugural year is 2024.

Margo Murray Shares: Reflecting on 70 years of work, I believed early on that it was a tragic waste of human capabilities for any generation to learn by trial and error what someone else already knew and could do. Experience in two accelerated promotion programs, with the Air Force and Pacific Telephone, made me think there must be a way to scale this as a strategy to reach more people who can benefit from others “passing it on.” I began research, then developed a facilitated mentoring model, testing it with client organizations worldwide.

Years of affiliation with the IMA Board enabled sharing strategies and experiences in support of the IMA Mission, and earned me Director Emeritus. With the current visionary leadership, the IMA has an opportunity to be the worldwide community to guide researchers and professional practitioners of mentoring processes to achieve excellence.

My professional work has consistently focused on results, and this award will recognize those mentoring processes having a positive impact on society - results at the worldwide or global level. It is an added value in support of the vision and mission of the IMA. Further, it will make visible those who put evaluation processes in place to measure impact, scalability, and sustainability of their mentoring processes.

I welcome your contact to share strategies, experiences, and results. I still believe in and practice passing it on. 

Margo Murray, MBA, CPT, C-EI
President & Chief Operating Officer
MMHA The Managers’ Mentors, Inc.

Submit Your Application Here

Dr. Hope Richardson Memorial Dissertation Award

The Dr. Hope Richardson Memorial Award is designed for research in the field of mentoring and presented to the best doctoral dissertation addressing mentoring in dissertation research.

About Dr. Hope Richardson

Every two years the International Mentoring Association recognizes outstanding research in the field of mentoring. This is the association’s preeminent research award and recognizes innovative and exceptional contributions to the field of mentoring. This award, presented to the person who has submitted the best doctoral dissertation, is given to foster and disseminate research in the practice of workplace learning and performance.

The recipient of the Dr. Hope Richardson Memorial Dissertation Award will receive:

  • Commemorative plaque presented at the awards ceremony during the IMA Conference in February 2024 in Charlotte, NC.
  • 1-year paid membership in the IMA with all associated benefits.
  • US $1000 travel stipend to attend the 2024 IMA conference.
  • Recognition: Announcement of the award and a summary of the findings in IMA Connect Magazine and on the IMA Website.

Application Information 

Please read the application information carefully before submitting your application.

Submit Your Application Here

Prior Recipients or Dr. Hope Richardson Dissertation Award

The 2021-2022 International Mentoring Association's Dr. Hope Richardson Dissertation Award recipient is Dr. Sherella Cupid. The award was bestowed upon Dr. Cupid during the International Mentoring Association's Conference from February 21-22, 2022 in Gainesville, FL, for her dissertation titled “Cupid, S. (2020). “It Felt Like Home:” Exploring Practices and Mentoring Experiences among Black Doctoral Women and Black Faculty Women in Sister Circles at Mid-Atlantic Universities”

The 2019-2020 International Mentoring Association’s Dr. Hope Richardson Dissertation Award recipient is Dr. Laura Johnson-Hurcula. The award was bestowed upon Dr. Hercula during the International Mentoring Association’s Conference from March 11-12, 2019 in Gainesville, FL, for her dissertation titled "Gender-Specific Mentorship for Collegiate Female Band Directors."

The 2014-2016 International Mentoring Association’s Dr. Hope Richardson Dissertation Award recipient is the University of New Brunswick Alumna, Dr. Roxanne Reeves. The award was bestowed upon Dr. Reeves during the International Mentoring Association’s Conference from April 13-15, 2016 in Auburn, Alabama, for her dissertation titled "Corporate mentorship."

The 2007-2009 International Mentoring Association’s Dr. Hope Richardson Dissertation Award recipient is Dr. Laura Lunsford. The award was bestowed upon Dr. Lunsford during the International Mentoring Association’s Conference 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, for her dissertation titled "Mentoring and talent development: Doctoral advisors and their protégés."