A Bengal Connect Mentor's Story |
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Dear Team,
I want to share with you a story about how one 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. I wanted to tell you about Holly because of this photo, which was taken of Holly meeting with her mentees for lunch before the fall break.
You’ll notice that there are more than five students at the table. That’s because Holly’s little group is growing organically. Her original 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 [captured in the photo] 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’d like to be involved in the Bengal Connect mentoring program, contact Corey Zink at coreyzink@isu.edu.
Warmly,
Lyn Redington
Vice President for Student Affairs
and Enrollment Management
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Celebrating Our Successes |
The new Roar into Registration event was held in the Pond Student Union lounge the week prior to fall break. Advisors from across campus and other volunteers joined together to provide drop-in advising and spring schedule checks--not to mention some great SWAG. After five days of the event, our team registered 272 students on site and provided a second look at schedules for 400+ students who had registered on their own.
Did it work? Let’s look at more numbers.
As of the Friday morning of registration week, we had a total of 4,804 registered students, a number that represents 69.4% of all continuing undergraduates. Compare that data to where we were at this point last fall, when we had registered 63.6% of all continuing undergraduate students. With our Roar into Registration event, we not only registered more continuing undergraduates by the end of registration week, but also generated awareness of the importance of consulting a professional advisor and seizing the opportunity to get the right classes at the right time.
And let’s talk about other ways we are supporting student success. The Career Path Internship (CPI) program takes great pleasure in announcing that Jared Anderson is the Fall 2021 CPI Supervisor of the Semester. Anderson is the Job Location and Development Coordinator in the Idaho State University Career Center. What does he love about his job? “The thing I really like about being a CPI supervisor is watching the students pick up new skills and abilities,” explained Anderson. “My current CPI is becoming a better marketing person right before my eyes, which is really fun to watch.”
Anderson was nominated by ISU student and Career Center marketing intern, Ardie Fogelsong. Over the past two semesters, Fogelsong has helped the Career Center increase its marketing efforts and implement a marketing schedule for the Career Center’s social media accounts. She has also helped redesign promotional materials and even assisted in revamping the décor in the Career Center.
“Some of the things Ardie is producing now are like what I would expect from someone who has been in the marketing field for ten years,” observed Anderson. “The quality and the consistency of her posts have really impressed me.” READ MORE
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CATS Graduate School Group |
CATS (Counseling and Testing Services) is offering a Graduate School Group, an opportunity for students to receive and offer support for the challenges that can arise when students are pursuing advanced degrees.
Graduate students are invited to join the group on Zoom Wednesday, December 1, at 12:00 noon (Mountain Time). This is a great time to get started because this group will be offered through May 11, 2022. Students can connect ahead of the spring semester and start enjoying the collaboration and support now!
To attend, students should register for the group. After registering, they will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Miss the Last “Talk Saves Lives”? Training Offered on December 10 |
Talk Saves Lives is the American Foundation for Suicide Preventions' standardized, 90-minute program that provides participants with a clear understanding of this leading cause of death, including the most up-to-date research on suicide prevention and what individuals can do in their communities to save lives. If you have not been able to get to one of the prior training sessions, CATS (Counseling and Testing) is now offering training in December.
Participants will learn common risk factors and warning signs associated with suicide and how to keep themselves and others safe.
Topics covered include:
- Scope of the Problem - the latest data on suicide in the U.S., worldwide, and at ISU
- Research - information from research on what causes people to consider suicide, as well as health, historical, and environmental factors that put individuals at risk
- Prevention - an understanding of the protective factors that lower suicide risk, and strategies for managing mental health and being proactive about self-care
- What You Can Do - guidance about warning signs and behaviors to look for and how to get help for someone in a suicidal crisis
Training Session Details:
- Friday, December 10, 2021
- Noon to 1:30 p.m.
- Online via Zoom*
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Registration Required - Register here
For questions or to schedule a Talk Saves Lives for your department or group, please contact Susan MaComb at macosusa@isu.edu or by phone at (208) 282-2130.
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Online Mindfulness Meditation |
There is no better time to start a meditation practice than now. Meditation is an evidence-based practice for stress management, improving focus, and improving overall health. The demanding times in which we are living provide yet another reason to begin this wellness practice. No experience is necessary, it’s free, and all are welcome! Join us on Zoom every Friday through December 10, 2021, from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. Our Online Mindfulness Meditation is open to all Idaho State students, faculty, and staff. Once you register, we’ll email your Zoom link.
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Share the Good Stuff Goin’ On |
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Let the SA Communications & Marketing team help you share the good things you do every day. Send us your announcements of new hires, word about programs or events you’d like to share, requests for support...anything you’d like the rest of the division, our students and families, or our campus partners to know, and we’ll help you get out the word. |
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