At the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels of education, mentoring programs for underrepresented minorities have shown some rates of success in upping the numbers. The central focus of initiatives such as The PhD Project, Florida Education Fund, Southern Regional Education Board and National Society of Black Engineers is mentoring. (In)formal mentoring is, without question, a significant element for those striving to attain and successfully earn doctoral degrees and move into the academic world of publish or perish. But even after earning the doctoral degree, STEM underrepresented faculty need supportive, not token, faculty who can help navigate the playing field. Thus, colleges and university administrators are challenged to move from paper frameworks to implementation, in an effort to overcome these barriers.