S.M.A.R.T. Mentoring Program
(Student Mentors Advising Rising Talent)
Established in 1994, the S.M.A.R.T. Mentoring Program offers a plethora of dynamic mentorship opportunities to first-year students of diverse populations. This unique mentoring program challenges students to think critically about their academic success, identity development, and leadership skills. Moreover, students are challenged to develop a personal strategic plan to support their curricular and co-curricular interests, including post-graduation. The Mentor- First year student relationship encourages students to recognize and develop their potential success during this transformative time in their lives. In addition to the support of an upper class mentor, first year students in this program are offered a significant opportunity to develop a supportive relationship with a faculty/staff member. The goal of each co-curricular advisor is to help students become familiar with successful ways to maneuver the college atmosphere with ease while identifying success strategies to ensure their highest academic performance. First year students in this program move through an intentional curriculum designed to help students focus on Identity Development for the first semester and Career Development the second semester with a significant emphasis on academic success strategies threaded throughout the entire academic year.
First Semester Curriculum: Identity Development & Academic Success
First year students will participate in weekly meetings with their mentoring cohort and student mentor. The mentoring cohort is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop relationships with other students with similar social interests and academic goals. One of the focal points of the program is “discovery of self” as it relates to social and person integrity. Anecdotally, we have found that some of the strongest predictors of student success draw on personal growth and development. The mentoring cohort provides students with the competency to thread personal values in the curricular and co-curricular experience. Additionally, students learn how to draw correlations between personal values and decision-making.
Essential to student success, the S.M.A.R.T program takes a holistic approach in developing the student both socially and intellectually. It is our goal to help students consider their intellectual curiosity and growth. As a participant in the S.M.A.R.T. program, all first year students are automatically enrolled in our Academic Enrichment Program. The Multicultural Center’s Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) is a fifteen week enhancement program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to matriculate to graduation. As a participant in this program, students will receive support and coaching from trained faculty and staff who serve as Co-Curricular Advisors (CCA). The CCA works one-on-one with students to ensure they have mastered academic strategies needed to perform at the highest level in the classroom.
Second Semester Curriculum: Career Development & Academic Success
As students move into their second semester, they are challenged to begin thinking about career resources, goals, and the skills and strategies needed to explore their career goals effectively. Students engage in conversations with both mentor and co-curricular advisor about options for majors, possible career choices and ways to learn more possible career options. During this semester, co-curricular advisors and student mentors spend a considerable amount of time helping first-year students make the connection between their strengths and possible career choices that fit their natural abilities.
Program workshops offered during this semester provide students with the opportunity to learn more about the support services of the Student Professional Development Center, including strategies for resume building, professional networking and interviewing for internships, graduate schools and jobs (both summer and post-graduation). This semester also offers graduate and professional school panels to assist students in identifying the courses and collegiate experiences needed for admissions’ processes.
First year students involved in this thorough mentoring experience will complete their first year with the breathe and depth of knowledge needed in a competitive global world.
Interested in Becoming a S.M.A.R.T. Mentor?
Click Here for the SMART Mentor Application
Connect with S.M.A.R.T
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