It’s the kind of exchange you might expect to hear in the Union or the library between classes-conversations about local restaurants, relationship problems and grades. Nothing spectacular, just regular conversations. But at Mississippi State University, these conversations are happening between students and faculty, as the Freshman Mentoring Program begins its second year.
“It started as a pilot program last year, and this year we’ve expanded it to almost all freshman,” Associate Dean of Students Thomas Bourgeois said. “With the exception of a couple hundred freshman, all of them have a mentor.”
The mentoring program began as a way to help students make the transition from high school to college. In a university with students from a wide range of backgrounds, mentors help assess individual needs.
“This is an outstanding program,” Jimmy Abraham, assistant vice president and mentor, said. “I think it’s making a tremendous impact on this campus.”
According to Bourgeois, mentors help meet needs that some advisers or parents cannot.
“A lot of big colleges try to set up something like this. We’re really proud of its success.”
The pilot program was a success last year, according to research statistics. Students with mentors had an average GPA of 2.81, and those without mentors averaged a 2.6 GPA.
“That difference may not sound like much,” Bourgeois said. “But it’s a significant figure.”
Approximately 250 faculty and staff are mentors, and they are spread throughout the entire university. Interim President Charles Lee sent a letter to all faculty and staff about the program, and those interested signed up to be mentors.
“This program is a volunteer program and it speaks volumes for Mississippi State to have over 200 faculty and staff members willing to be a part of it,” Abraham said.
Bourgeois held interest programs for faculty and staff who wanted to be mentors and got the program ready for expansion.
“Mentors aren’t advisers or parents,” Bourgeois said. “They’re more of listeners and resource people on campus. They’re someone for students to go to when they have questions about anything-where to eat, MoneyMate-anything.
“I developed close relationships with my mentors last year. Students want to be able to talk to someone. They’ll come by just to say hi or tell me what’s going on with their girlfriend or boyfriend. It’s great.”
Bourgeois said the relationships that develop from the program are not only valuable to students, but to the mentors as well.
“It’s meaningful to both students and faculty. Faculty enjoy talking to students who aren’t there to yell or schedule classes. It’s just another chance to develop different kinds of relationships,” Bourgeois said.
On the other hand, students like Charlie Wilder also enjoy the camaraderie. Wilder was chosen last year for the trial run and said it was even more beneficial than he could realize at the time.
“Orly Hardin, recruiting coordinator in the office of enrollment services, told me that she was basically there to take care of me and help me get adjusted to this new life at MSU,” Wilder said. “She volunteered to take care of any worries that I had and made sure I was happy.”
Wilder said Orly always dropped everything to take care of him, and that made him feel right at home.
On more than one occasion, in a letter to Bourgeois, Wilder said that having a mentor was crucial to his well-being at MSU.
In the letter, Wilder listed six benefits to having a mentor:
1. Someone is there to answer questions for the mentorees.
2. Mentors know the ins and outs of the university.
3. Mentors are there to be a friend and a listener.
4. Mentors help students from feeling alone.
5. Mentors help to solve students’ problems.
6. Mentors can become new friends to those freshmen in the program.
Wilder concluded his letter by saying, “I am just thankful to have been chosen for this program.”
For more information visit http://www.saffairs.msstate.edu/mentor.