Who mentors the mentor : understanding teaching through mentoring in the first and second year of university

Several role models emerge in universities, schools and industry, each perhaps with different connotations of 'mentor.' Why mentors? What does the term mean? How is such a role formalised or practicalised? How does a new regional university build a research culture, leading to the socialisation necessary to promote the understanding of becoming a teacher, of taking one's place from the university into the community, and leading to a vigorous teacher education program fitting the graduate to be 'out the front'?