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Student Mentoring Program

Mentoring can be defined as a sustained and supportive relationship between, on the one hand, a senior or experienced mentor, and on the other, a mentee who is just starting out in a career or in a field of studies. If done with deliberation and care, mentoring fosters personal growth and learning; it may easily be a critical factor in academic success.

Eligibility

The Student Mentoring Program (SMP) is open to all currently enrolled students. Conscious of the fact that opportunities and support networks are not always accessible to the same degree to all members of the College community, we especially welcome applications from:

  • first generation students;
  • students with limited financial resources;
  • members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups;
  • students with differing abilities;
  • single parents;
  • non-traditional aged students;
  • English language learners;
  • international students;
  • gender non-conforming, trans, or LGBTQ students;
  • veterans;
  • members of underrepresented religious affiliation.

This list is not exhaustive of SUNY Schenectady’s sensitivity to other categories not listed here.

Students enrolling in the SMP are paired with qualified mentors who offer support, guidance, and assistance to their mentees as they confront new challenges, or work to correct earlier problems that might otherwise turn into barriers to academic success.

How to become a SUNY Schenectady Mentee

Mentees must be enrolled at SUNY Schenectady and submit a mentor-mentee matching survey to be considered for placement with a mentor. Participation in the program is voluntary.

A mentee should be available to meet and talk with their assigned mentor, as needed, throughout the Program. Both parties should be committed to keeping channels of communication open.

At a minimum, the mentee must meet the following requirements:

  • Be enrolled as a student at the College throughout the duration of the program
  • Be committed to a good faith effort to meet academic expectations
  • Be committed to a good faith effort to keep clear channels of communication open
  • Be committed to a good faith effort to be available for meetings with the mentor

The mentee must accept the following responsibilities:

  • Return phone calls and emails from the mentor
  • Attend scheduled meetings with the mentor
  • Call or email the mentor with questions or concerns
  • Notify the mentor of changes of contact information
  • Notify the mentor should circumstances call for a discontinuation of the mentorship

Mentees and their mentors might very well realize in the course of the program that there are other responsibilities that need to be met. Mentees should communicate changing needs as soon as possible to their mentor.

The SMP provides sustained training and support for mentors and mentees. By defining performance indicators and assessing outcomes, it targets mentoring efforts towards enhancing the academic experience of students, and increasing the retention, persistence, and completion rates of program participants.