For Dr. Ellen Ensher, the journey into mentorship began with a sense of purpose that was both academic and personal. As a young doctoral student at Claremont Graduate University, she was searching for a research focus that could make a tangible contribution to the world. Then, a guest lecture by mentoring scholar Dr. Belle Rose Ragins changed everything.
“I was absolutely inspired,” she recalls. “I had that very powerful sense of being called to the field of mentoring, goosebumps and butterflies’ kind of feeling.” That moment crystallized her commitment to mentoring, particularly its role in advancing diversity. It also marked the beginning of a lifelong scholarly and personal mission.
At the same time, she was consulting for The Los Angeles Times, working under Jeanne Hartley, the senior training director who would become her career mentor.
In the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict and the resulting civil unrest in Los Angeles, Ellen was asked to help with a Summer Jobs Training Program. Hartley’s request was both practical and timely: could Ellen determine whether mentors and mentees should be paired by race or gender for better outcomes?
Looking into the research, Ellen found a gap. Undaunted, she embarked on her first academic study. Lacking experience but driven by curiosity, she teamed up with Professor Susan Murphy of Claremont McKenna College. Their collaboration resulted in a widely cited publication and the start of a long academic partnership and friendship. “Susan and I went on to publish a book,” Ellen says, “and more importantly, she became a life-long friend.”
Evolving Perspectives on Mentoring
Mentorship, as Ellen quickly discovered, is not static. It adapts, transforms, and evolves, just as people do throughout their careers and lives. In her early work, she focused on gender dynamics in the workplace. As a young woman in a male-dominated field, she sought to understand how women could thrive professionally. “All research is me-search,” she says, reflecting on her personal investment in the topic.
By the early 2000s, the rise of technology presented new challenges and opportunities for mentorship. Ellen co-authored a paper in the Journal of Vocational Behavior proposing new research directions for mentoring in a digital world. At the time, online mentoring was a foreign concept to many. “The general business community thought online mentoring was sub-optimal,” she mentions.
Despite pushbacks, the paper was published. Two decades later, virtual mentoring has become not only viable but essential. “Now look, everyone is doing online mentoring. The post-pandemic world changed everything,” she notes. Today, Ellen is revisiting the topic with fresh research, proving that her early instincts were ahead of their time.
Personal Adversity, Professional Growth
In addition to her academic work, Ellen’s personal life has also shaped her views on mentoring. Ten years ago, she was diagnosed and successfully treated with breast cancer. The experience, which included over a year of treatment, underscored the importance of having a strong support network.
“I definitely had help and mentors navigating through cancer treatment,” she says. The experience deepened her understanding of mentoring as a life skill. “Mentoring is not just a professional skill—it’s a meta-skill and life hack for success.”
Whether facing illness, career changes, or personal transitions, Ellen believes that everyone needs to know how to build a network of mentors and be ready to offer guidance in return. This belief informs her teaching, research, and relationships with students and colleagues.
Teaching Across Borders, Learning Alongside Students
Ellen’s influence extends far beyond her home campus at Loyola Marymount University. She has taught students and executives in South Africa, Finland, and other countries, experiences that continually shape her classroom approach.
“No matter how many years of experience I have, I remember that I am only as good as my last class,” she says. Teaching internationally reinforces this humility. Each new classroom, whether in person or virtual, comes with new challenges and lessons.
One such experience stands out. While leading a program in Africa, a student broke her leg shortly after arrival. Ellen spent her first day there in a hospital, navigating how to get the student home safely. “She got home okay and opted to do the surgery back at home,” she recounts. “Being a companion in someone’s darkest time is an honor.”
Studying abroad had a transformative effect on Ellen’s own life when she was a college student in Italy. Today, she finds joy in offering that same opportunity to others. “I come from humble beginnings,” she says. “Giving that experience to others is a joy.”
Success Measured in Impact, Not Accolades
Ellen’s definition of success is not found in titles or awards. Instead, she points to a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that resonates with her personal philosophy: “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Her goal as a professor is to make a meaningful difference. Teaching, mentoring, and research are not separate pursuits for Ellen, they are interconnected ways of contributing to the lives of others.
Mentorship in a Changing Workplace
Ellen’s commitment to mentoring extends to the workplace, where rapid changes require new approaches. She has developed four LinkedIn Learning courses on mentoring, designed to help professionals build intentional, diverse, and sustainable mentoring networks.
Her message to students is consistent and heartfelt. “I hope they remember to help others,” she says. She asks students to respond when future students reach out for advice, and to remember the patience and grace they once received. “And of course, come back to class and be a guest speaker—and do invite your professor out for happy hour once you graduate!”
Looking Ahead: New Projects and Global Initiatives
In Fall 2025, Ellen will begin a sabbatical, taking time to pursue several key projects. One involves a program evaluation and research partnership with Pack, a European people development platform where she serves on the scientific committee. Her collaborator, Dr. Kyle Ehrhardt from CU Denver Business School, will co-lead the effort.
At LMU, Ellen co-leads the “Local-Global Capstone” course for Management and Leadership seniors. The course explores food justice and includes a spring break research trip to Tuscany, where students study the slow food movement and write case studies.
Another upcoming initiative focuses on global happiness. Ellen is developing a course and program that will explore well-being across cultures, with planned travel to Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. The project reflects her continued interest in the intersection of leadership, culture, and quality of life.
A Lifelong Commitment to Learning and Giving Back
Dr. Ellen Ensher’s career is defined by a rare blend of scholarship, empathy, and global vision. From her early work on mentoring and diversity, through personal challenges and global teaching experiences, she has remained committed to empowering others.
In every stage of her journey, Ellen has embraced mentorship not as a task, but as a way of life. As she looks to the future, her work continues to evolve, but her purpose remains constant: to learn, to teach, and to help others thrive.
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