Impact on Students. Students often speak during focus groups and in other settings about the role of their mentor in their success and comfort level at the university. Mentors, just by their presence, are strong role models of success in the university and a sign that students are valued at the university. In addition, mentors role model and teach their students academic coping skills. Time and stress management are often topics of discussion and mentors can speak from a uniquely current place about how to balance the multiple roles of a modern, urban student.
Mentors share what works and doesn t work in academia.
We have learned that mentors serve as a unique bridge between faculty and students. Mentors hear honest reflections from students about their experience at the university, in the class and in their personal lives. Faculty in the first years were shocked by the information that their students shared with mentors about their lives, things they did not often hear about in other types of general education courses. Knowing what a student is dealing with empowers both faculty and mentor to aid in helping the student, thus aiding in student academic progress. Mentors timely, but diplomatic feedback has enabled faculty to adjust their teaching to better meet students needs.