Enhancing Student Success through Faculty Mentorship: A Holistic Approach at Forsyth Tech

Faculty guidance can be one of the most transformative aspects of the college experience. As one returning adult student shared, “I had a very good relationship with every single professor that I’ve had, and because of them, I got accepted at [graduate school].” A recent survey of college students revealed that most believe faculty should serve as mentors. Research also shows that faculty connections can have a strong, positive impact on student success. Yet, there is often no formal expectation for faculty to take on this role. Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina set out to change that.

Advising Redesign and the Creation of Faculty Mentors

In 2022, Forsyth Tech restructured its advising model and introduced Student Care Teams to provide comprehensive support. These teams include professional academic advisors, financial aid advisors, and, for some students, additional staff like TRiO program advisors. This collaborative approach enables more flexible, targeted student support and freed up faculty time previously spent on academic advising.

Leveraging this time, Forsyth Tech established a formal faculty mentorship program as part of the Student Care Teams. These faculty mentors help students plan their next steps, whether pursuing employment or transferring to a bachelor’s degree program.

Faculty mentors are integral to each student’s care team. Upon applying to the college, students receive a welcome letter introducing their academic advisor and faculty mentor, who are assigned based on the student’s program of study. Faculty mentors provide guidance throughout students’ academic journey, fostering meaningful relationships that help them think about the opportunities that will come next.

What Faculty Mentors Do

Faculty mentors contact their assigned students early in the fall semester, offering general guidance and encouraging students to schedule meetings, either in person or online. Forsyth Tech uses the EAB Navigate platform to coordinate Student Care Teams, allowing outreach through text message (rather than email) and students to easily schedule appointments with their mentors.

Key responsibilities of faculty mentors include:

• Bridging academic learning and career/transfer opportunities: Collaborating with Career Services to showcase job openings, internships, and transfer pathways tailored to students’ fields of study.
• Encouraging participation: Promoting career fairs, workshops, and transfer events.
• Providing industry insights: Sharing field-specific knowledge and connecting students with professional opportunities.
• Supporting undecided students: Recommending career assessments and consultations with Career Services staff.

Challenges and Solutions

Implementing a faculty mentorship program came with several challenges:

Integrating Transfer Faculty

Incorporating transfer or general education faculty into the mentorship program proved challenging. While technical education faculty already provided mentorship within their programs, transfer faculty needed additional support to connect with students who may not share their academic focus. For instance, a sociology professor mentoring students in an associate of arts program might never have their mentees in class and may need to connect students with faculty closer to their career interests.

As Associate Dean Katina Barksdale explained, “It is mostly to provide students with that early contact with someone in their program of study. We’re talking about careers, how to pick your university, your major, and ultimately your career.”

Managing Faculty Mentoring Load

The size of mentoring caseloads varies widely across programs. In some large programs with only a few full-time faculty, mentoring loads can exceed 400 students, while smaller programs may assign as few as 50. To address this disparity, Forsyth Tech clarified that faculty mentors are not expected to meet with every mentee but should maintain regular communication and remain available for guidance.

Encouraging Student Engagement

It can be difficult to get students to take advantage of mentorship opportunities. While faculty mentors are expected to initiate contact, not all students respond or seek further interaction. Despite this, the college’s structured approach helps ensure that faculty workloads remain manageable even with large caseloads.

Conclusion

Forsyth Tech’s innovative faculty mentorship program reimagines student support, fostering meaningful connections that drive student success. By creating an environment where students feel supported and guided, the college not only prepares them for their next steps but also cultivates a sense of belonging.