Faculty-Student Mentoring program
- Prior to applying for a mentor
- View all available mentors at "Meet the Mentors"
- Select two possible mentors
- Sign up for your mentor
About the Program: Northwest Vista College’s Faculty-Student Mentoring program involves a partnership in which faculty members (the mentors) and students (the mentees) collaborate in defining and achieving academic, career, or personal goals. The purpose of mentoring is to provide students with greater individual attention to enable students to fulfill their potential as students, professionals, and community members. Mentors can help students transition to college, find needed resources, meet other students, get involved with a student organization, plan for a career, develop marketable skills, and transfer to a university.
The Faculty-Student Mentoring program is here to support students throughout their time in our programs and until they complete their goals with us and complete a degree, transfer to a university, or enter employment. Students receive encouragement, support, and guidance toward goal completion from a faculty member in a discipline similar to the student’s program goal.
This program formalizes the important interactions between faculty and students to be used in conjunction with a professional advisor with the intention of promoting student retention and completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mentoring is a relationship built on trust in which a more experienced person guides and helps a less experienced person with education or career development.
Mentors help students develop and achieve goals. These goals can focus on personal growth, career preparation, or successful transfer to another college program. Mentoring helps you become the best version of yourself.
Our program is open to all NVC students.
To participate in this program, we ask that students negotiate an agreement with their mentors specifying goals, how to achieve them, and when to schedule meetings with their mentor. We expect students to meet with their mentors at least three times per semester and to work constructively toward their goals.
The Faculty-Student Mentoring Program at NVC facilitates mentoring relationships in the following ways:
- Assisting with matching students and faculty members;
- Providing a framework for a professional relationship that encourages goal setting and personal growth;
- Training faculty to effectively assist their mentees;
- Coordinating with advisors to ensure the best advice for the student.
Faculty mentors are expected to fulfill at least some of the following roles and responsibilities:
- Assist students with forming realistic goals;
- Provide advice on course selection and transfer;
- Direct students to campus and community resources;
- Monitor students’ interests and academic progress;
- Understand opportunities for scholarships and internships;
- Review students’ resume, portfolio, and interview skills;
- Discuss career options and paths to achieve success;
- Collaborate with advisors to provide students with timely, accurate information.
Requirements to become a mentor: A credentialed faculty member with teaching experience or a staff member who is credentialed to teach and has teaching experience.
To become a mentor, faculty need to attend one of the faculty mentoring training sessions. Training sessions will be announced throughout the academic year.