THE STORY OF THE MAYO RESEARCH FELLOWS' ASSOCIATION

Mayo Research Fellows' Association (MRFA) began as a collection of concerns from several corners within Mayo Clinic. Sometime in 1993 or 1994 a postdoc, Dr. Jamie Perry, began to hold a Sunday tea at her home as an intimate social gathering for a group of Mayo Research Fellows and Associates. Aside from forming close friendships, they began to discuss issues such as finding affordable housing and figuring out dress codes. Many of these researchers came from vibrant academic environments but life in the Guggenheim, and especially in the labs at St. Mary's, seemed to be somewhat isolating. So these Sunday afternoons became an important forum of camaraderie as well as a networking event. The international Fellows found these gatherings to be especially important.

About this same time Dr. Harvinder Luthra, Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Medicine, was interested in post-doctoral mentorship. He asked Dr. Cheryl Conover to chair a Departmental research mentoring program. Dr. Conover had a keen interest in providing solutions to problems that Research Fellows and Associates may experience and was an excellent choice for this role. She also had a close working and personal relationship with Dr. Perry. As a result, the Sunday tea group invited Drs Luthra and Conover to attend one of their gatherings.

One of the serious issues that the Sunday tea participants relayed to the department representatives was the lack of empowerment that the Research Fellows and Associates had on issues that were different from Clinical Fellows. It was suggested that they organize across the Mayo campus to exchange information and solve problems that were unique to junior researchers. These faculty members suggested that the best way to collect the attention and build the spirit of such a group would be to begin just as the Sunday tea group had, as a social forum where members could expand and strengthen their personal bonds with each other. The Department of Medicine mentorship program became their unofficial sponsor.

As a contribution to the new organization, Dr. Luthra hosted an autumn bonfire at his home as a means of initiating the group. To further the networking relationship and strengthen mentorship bonds, they also invited Mayo research faculty. The bonfire was attended by several hundred people, and was a huge success.

At that time, the Sunday teas were attended only by a relatively small group of women researchers but soon after the bonfire leadership was transferred to a group that included Drs Drew Arnold, Tiffany Cook, Jill Reiter, Terry Hefferan, and Richard White. They planned regular "happy hours" on Friday evening that became the core of informal social structure among the research faculty and postdocs. Dr Arnold also designed and maintained a non-institutional web site that became the unofficial means of communication for the organization.

A highly successful summer picnic was held the following summer and it became THE event of the social calendar in subsequent years. Aside from events like these, the unofficial Research Fellows organizing committee began to invite speakers to formally discuss topics, especially career planning, to the now greatly expanded group. Because of its new scope, Dr. Conover suggested that Mayo Clinic officially recognize the group. Drew and his committee came up with a mission statement, charter, and by-laws that were accepted and recognized by the Mayo Administration in 1997.

The group did very well for several years. However, because of the temporary nature of Research Fellows, lack of a critical funding level, and the fact that no one had planned for the succession of the leadership, the group lost its direction and the organization faded from life on campus. In 2003, the clinic recognized the value of such an organization, constructed a steering committee, and earmarked a permanent budget to build a new MRFA.