As the semester winds down, the thought that “I could have done better in this class if I had managed my time more efficiently” lingers in the minds of many students. Students wonder what led to their lack of organization, studying and motivation. After pondering, they look down on their notes and then get back to studying hoping they receive an A on their final to get a B in the class.
Asking for help is hard. However, seeking help from someone can create more good than harm. Many college students have been fortunate enough to have positive mentors in their lives that have guided them to success. Yafiet Gojela, a second-year African American student, was assigned a mentor the summer before he entered school. He did not know what to expect when he started his first day of classes on grounds.
“At first I did not contact my mentor as much because I did not think I needed her. After I had finished my first semester at the University, I wondered what led me to struggle so much throughout the semester,” Gojela said. “I reached out to my mentor, and she gave me a lot of great advice. I can confidently say if I did not have a mentor, I would have been lost. I was scared to reach out at first, but after receiving advice from my mentor, I felt confident in myself and also a sense of belonging.”
At the University, all incoming African American first-year students are assigned a mentor from the peer mentoring program provided by the Office of African American and African Affairs. Similar to most mentorship programs, the program is structured to assist students with the transition into college, whether it is in academics or social life. Gojela states his mentor really helped make the transition into the University worthwhile and easier.
“Both of my parents only have high school degrees. Being a first generation student, I did not have someone in my family to look up to for guidance academically. My mentor filled that gap and helped be that guidance I needed,” Gojela said.
A joint research project from Purdue University and Lumina Foundation was conducted to study the relationship between the college experience and the lives of college graduates. The Gallup-Purdue Index concluded college students are over 1.5 times more likely to thrive in all areas of wellbeing if they had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their goals and dreams. Entrepreneur Dan Gheesling stated, “For every goal, I have achieved in my life, I can trace back each goal to a mentor or individual who helped achieve it.” The best advice a student can receive is from someone in whose footsteps they aspire to follow. Gheesling concludes that he would not have been the man he is today without the knowledge and guidance of his mentor.
I am currently a mentor for the Batten Undergraduate Mentoring Program, or BUMP. The purpose of the program is to pair incoming third-year Batten undergraduates with fourth-year mentors who have similar policy interests. While it is expected, I am not required to contact my mentees as a BUMP mentor and am not monitored over whether or not I do so. At the beginning of my journey in the Batten School, I was not contacted by my mentor. Receiving advice from someone that had previously taken the same courses as I was currently taking would have been useful. There were times I doubted my abilities throughout my first semester in the program.
OAAA’s peer mentoring program, however, requires guidelines to be met. Peer mentors have an obligation to fill out once a week a form stating how many hours they spoke to their mentee and what they discussed. If the mentor is not filling out the forms and not attending required events with their mentees, then they are subject to removal from the program. Associate Dean of African American Students Kimberly Bassett makes it her mission to ensure that the program is fulfilling its mission in every aspect.
Colleges and universities with high black student graduation rates have created retention programs to help African Americans adjust to their transition into predominantly white campuses. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education collected data that shows the African American graduation rate at the University is 86 percent. The effects of the peer mentoring program are reflected in the graduation rate for African Americans at the University. The Journal also found that mentoring programs for African Americans students have been successful in increasing the graduation rates at many colleges and universities. Whether the mentor was assigned or is a natural mentor, someone that a student can seek great advice from, positive outcomes can come from mentorship encounters.
Mentors have the ability to intervene before habits of not studying efficiently and skipping classes are formed. It is important that mentorship programs at the University are held more accountable to ensure advice is provided for students adapting in an unfamiliar environment. Presidents of mentoring organizations should send bi-weekly emails to ensure that mentors are in contact with their mentees. A contract signed by the mentor stating that they will assist their mentee should also be formed by all mentoring organizations. These improvements will be vital because mentoring organizations have the ability to teach students valuable lessons for them to make the best of their journey.
Luwam Bokure is a fourth-year Batten student.
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