May 2014, Issue 5
Message from VPSA
Sam Gonzales
We completed three amazing commencement ceremonies at the Alamodome this month. I encourage you to see photos from both the May 10th and May 11th ceremonies. Thank you to the many staff who volunteered your time to make it happen. I want to offer a special “shout out” to the Special Events Center, Graduation Coordination Office, Registrar, Student Activities and Student Life for their superior collaborative effort.
I thoroughly enjoyed participating in graduation as part of the stage party, because from my vantage point I was able to witness the joy of both the students and the families in the crowd. There are no words to adequately describe the sense of joy and pride they all feel in that moment. I was blessed to witness it all.
It reminds me that college completion is a victory for the entire family. Our students benefit from various forms of support from administrators, family, friends, and mentors. Mentors play a very important role in success.
During the most recent College Completion Academy, Dr. Amaury Nora spoke about the mentoring experience. I was greatly impacted by what he said. A successful mentor experience is marked by several factors:
- Psychological and emotional support (sense of listening and mutual understanding)
- Realistic self-appraisal (assessment of the student’s strengths and weaknesses)
- Academic subject knowledge support (advancing knowledge in chosen field)
- Existence of a role model (ability to learn from mentor’s past actions)
Nora and Crisp’s (2008) research found that the most important factor in mentoring that contributes to student success was including a realistic assessment of the student’s strengths and weaknesses.
Our students need mentors who they can identify with, who will provide guidance on academic related intents and who will help them assess their own academic and career goals with honesty. It’s not just listening and it’s not just being present. We have to encourage our students to be reflective and honest about their abilities. It reminds me of one of our core values: We believe that risk and challenge promote growth and excellence. I encourage you to give that some thought as we plan for the new academic year. I also encourage you to keep discussing the College Completion Academy in your departments. Roadrunners succeed!
Nora, A., & Crisp, G. (2008). Mentoring students: Conceptualizing and validating the multi-dimensions of a support system. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 9(3), 337-356.
Best wishes,
Sam
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