Starting a Mentoring Program
Faculty-to-Student Mentor Program
At Utah State University, our Faculty-to-Student Mentor Program has proven to be a powerful lever for student success by pairing undergraduate students with committed faculty mentors. USU delivers not just academic guidance or career coaching, but meaningful, long-term relationships that deeply impact persistence and belonging. Since launching the program across all eight of our Statewide Campuses, we have seen a 17% increase in fall-to-fall persistence (78.6% for mentees vs. 61.4% for a matched comparison group). Participating students also report a significantly stronger sense of belonging and greater confidence managing their academic and personal challenges.
For other institutions considering a similar initiative, the benefits are compelling on both sides:
Students
Students gain structured support, connection, and accountability that help them adjust smoothly to university life, set and achieve educational goals, and develop a sense of purpose.
Institutions
Institutions benefit by building a more engaged, resilient student body, driving retention and graduation, and cultivating a campus culture in which faculty contribute directly to student success, all backed by rigorous assessment and data-driven continuous improvement.