Nazareth College Launches Mentor Collective Program to Increase Student Persistence and Connection
ROCHESTER, NY. Nazareth College officially announced the implementation of a new program aimed to support College-wide goals of increasing retention and student sense of belonging. This fall, incoming students at Nazareth College were invited to be matched with upper-division students through Nazareth’s Mentor Collective (Big Flyer/Little Flyer Program), a social mentorship program that supports students’ persistence and connection to the school.
Through a partnership with Mentor Collective, incoming students who enter Nazareth College (Little Flyers) will now have the opportunity to be paired with an upper-division peer mentor (Big Flyer) who are trained to offer guidance and advice. Little Flyers can use the platform’s discussion guides and goal-setting activities to help foster meaningful conversations with and connection to their Big Flyer throughout the year.
“Social mentorship is important to connect new students with their campus community and assist them with their transition from high school to college life,” said Susan S. Quinn, Director of Health and Counseling Services. “This type of program can help with student retention and decreased loneliness, but also has the ability to foster a strong campus community and promote life-long friendships among students. It's important that we not only demonstrate our commitment to students, parents, and the Naz community, but put this into action.” She adds; “Once the pandemic hit and most everyone went remote, we knew we needed to go larger to keep our students engaged. Mentor Collective has helped us make our vision come to life with a very large group of students! We could not have done this without Mentor Collective's experience and guidance.”
Nazareth’s Big Flyer/Little Flyers program is especially important during a time when two recent surveys suggest what is driving student uncertainty for Fall 2020: the loss of personal connections that are a hallmark of the college experience. Above all, the Big Flyer/ Little Flyers program empowers student voices by recognizing the importance of relationships in a student’s academic journey.
“[Through the Mentor Collective dashboard] it's been great to see the large numbers of social interactions occurring between our Big Flyers/Little Flyers!” said Quinn. “This is a positive sign that students are communicating, and I know this will help to support our new students, as well as provide our current students (mentors) with leadership skills.” The Mentor Collective program will also provide an outlet for students to voice feedback as to how the school can provide ongoing support.
Nazareth’s Mentor Collective program is actively enrolling mentees and mentors for the 2020-2021 school year. If you’re interested in learning more about Big Flyer/ Little Flyer at Nazareth College, please contact Kim Harvey, Ed.D., Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement.
For More Information
Kimberly Harvey: 585-389-0000 or kharvey8@naz.edu
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
