Mays Regents’ Scholars find success through mentor relationships
Transitioning to college is tough for most students, but much more so for students who are the first in their immediate family to pursue higher education. Without the guidance of parents that have navigated the turbulent waters of their own freshman year, many first-generation students find themselves with no one to turn to with questions, and are therefore less likely to be successful in the classroom—and less likely to make it to graduation.
Since it’s inception four years ago, the Regents’ Scholar program has opened doors of opportunity more than 2,000 first-generation college students at Texas A&M University. This year, Mays welcomed 52 new Regents’ Scholars. While the full-ride scholarship enables these learners to be in the classroom, Mays Business School has developed a special program to keep them there and ensure their success.
Raquel Derouen was among the first class of Regents’ Scholars at Mays. “I don’t think I would be where I am today with out this scholarship,” said the senior information and operations management major from San Antonio. Derouen is planning to graduate this May and intends to pursue an MBA. She credits her academic success in part to the guidance of Sonia Garcia, program coordinator for the Undergraduate Program Office. Garcia heads up a mentoring program that matches up Mays Regents’ Scholars and faculty/staff members.
Garcia
“I went to Dr. Garcia for everything. She helped me get through my freshman and sophomore years,” said Derouen, whose mother is a homemaker and father is a disabled veteran. Derouen was so inspired by Garcia that she decided to give back by volunteering her time as a student mentor to other incoming regent scholars and by going to high schools and recruiting students for the program. “I’m a real advocate for the Regents’ Scholars,” she said.
Mays Regents’ Scholars are required to complete a Freshman Business Initiative course, attend workshops on topics such as study skills, time management, and financial planning, and meet with a faculty or staff mentor three times per month as part of the academic success program Garcia designed. The aim of this program is to increase the retention of these at-risk learners.
A guiding hand
Whitten
Dwayne Whitten, assistant clinical professor of information and operations management, is in his second year as a faculty mentor. Whitten understands intimately the needs of these first-generation students, as he was one himself.
“Sometimes first-generation students just need a little bit more support,” said Whitten, who met with and emailed his mentee, Stacey Barnett, frequently last year. He encouraged her, gave her advice about classes, and was there to reaffirm her when her grades weren’t what she hoped they would be initially.
“I told her it wasn’t the end of the world…I just tried to make sure she knew if she needed anything that she could come by and I would help her out,” said Whitten. “I think it’s really important for them to have faculty interaction outside of class, and with a faculty member that isn’t their teacher. It’s very helpful for them to get a different perspective.”
For his efforts, Whitten was named the first recipient of the Robert M. Gates Inspiration Award for exemplary assistance to students who are the first in their families to attend college. The award, which is named in honor of former Texas A&M president Robert Gates, was presented to Whitten at the annual Regents’ Scholars Banquet in April to honor his commitment to mentorship.
More rewarding than the plaque was the fact that his mentee did well her freshman year and has returned to A&M this year to continue her studies.
Going Places
Loudder
Martha Loudder, associate dean and accounting professor, has a similar story to share. Loudder, who is in her third year of being a mentor, is also a first-generation college graduate. “I have a lot of empathy for the problems that our Regents’ Scholars face,” she said. Loudder is largely responsible for the start up of an international spring break trip for the Regents’ Scholars. The trip is fully financed by supporters (including Loudder herself and her husband), as most of the students would not be able to afford to go otherwise.
“For many of them it’s their first time on a plane, or even their first time out of Texas,” said Loudder, who is pleased to be able to introduce these students to the larger world.
“Many of the students come back and see that there are opportunities they wouldn’t have thought of before,” said Loudder, such as study abroad programs and international internships. “It gets them excited about the possibilities.”
One such student is Sasha Childers, a junior accounting major from Marlin, Texas. Childers was Loudder’s first mentee. “Having a faculty mentor was the greatest thing,” said Childers. “I came here not knowing anyone. Dr. Loudder showed me around and answered all my questions…she was always very encouraging.”
Childers said that hearing Loudder’s personal story made a big impact on her. “Hearing that she had a hard time a first, and now she’s a Ph.D…that made a difference to me,” she said. Childers was able to go on two of the spring break trips, the first year to England as a participant, and the second year to Spain as a chaperone and peer mentor. For Childers, this first taste of international travel was significant, as she is now looking into studying abroad. For the spring ’08 trip, Loudder and Garcia are planning to take the scholars to Mexico City.
From an administrative standpoint, the Mays Regent Scholars academic program has been highly successful. This year, their retention rate is 88% for first year to second year students. “A couple of the other colleges [at A&M] have followed our example in this program, so we have really been the leaders,” said Garcia. When student participants were surveyed, the results were very positive. “I think that is a good indicator of how well we are doing and how seriously we take the success of our students and their progress and retention,” she said.
