Today, I want to share with you a story about how one Idaho State staff person is making a difference for students.
Holly Kartchner is the Director of Outreach and Retention in the College of Arts and Letters, and she is also one of our Bengal Connect volunteers.
Bengal Connect is the new mentoring program Idaho State rolled out for first-year students this fall. The BC mentors—faculty and staff volunteers—were all assigned five first-year students and encouraged just to reach out to their small group of mentees throughout the year, offering a listening ear and support during this critical time.
Holly’s original group of five has been growing. Her mentees have been inviting their friends and peers because they want them to experience the kind of encouragement and support they are receiving. And Holly doesn’t hesitate to take other students into her mentoring circle. If she sees a student in need, she doesn’t worry about the fact that they weren’t “assigned” to her. She just pulls them in. “I try to think outside the box, to think bigger than the original assignment. There are others who need us and who want a mentor, and I watch for them.”
But the first thing Holly said when we asked her about this is that “this approach is not for everyone.” Holly doesn't have "lunch times" anymore because she's never alone at lunch, which is the most convenient time for students to meet with her. And while she acknowledges that this requires some sacrifice, it’s a sacrifice she’s willing to make: “It won't work this way for everyone, but it works for me.”
And it is really working, but I’ll let Holly tell you about it.
Thanks for the opportunity to talk with you about the amazing students you have allowed and encouraged me to mentor. I care about each of them personally and I have worked to get to know them. I know where they work, their major, and, on Parents Weekend, I met with several over a hot beverage.
This week was the first time we all got together and it was very fulfilling to see them begin building their own relationships with each other. The relationships have all developed differently. I met one young lady through the panel at Indigenous Peoples Day. After the panel, I congratulated her on a job well done and invited her to meet me for chai in the SUB. We have grown close over time and I have introduced her to other clubs, specifically the Chemistry club and she loves it! Other students I met by introducing myself, and then after we met, they asked if they could bring their friends or roommates as they also needed support. Two of the group were on my list of mentees. I emailed them and really tried to make the email seem personal and genuine. I became a job reference for one and helped her find a job! Another young man in the group was able to secure a CPI position after Wednesday. He needed help finding a position and I introduced him to the department chair and the rest was just magic. You [the Bengal Connect development team] gave us the tools, but we [mentors] have to believe in it. We’re not doing this to "keep them here," but to create a positive experience for these students. But this could 100% turn around the experience on this campus! We have wonderful students, and knowing that they are not alone is important. Knowing they have people at ISU that believe in them, care about them, and want them to be successful is critical.
Holly, thank you for the caring leadership you provide for our students!
If you have a first-year student who would like to be involved in the Bengal Connect mentoring program, send an email to parent@isu.edu, and we’ll help your student get connected!
Warmly,
Lyn Redington
Vice President for Student Affairs
and Enrollment Management
