For students struggling to fit in on campus, participating in the Linkages Mentor Program helps them find their place at St. Thomas and learn the skills they need to succeed in college.

The program, run by Student Diversity and Inclusion Services, places underrepresented first-year students with upperclassmen mentors who help them transition from high school to college life. The program aims to connect students to resources they can use to help them succeed academically and socially.

Brad Pulles, retention program director at SDIS, thinks Linkages is a good way for students to build connections and become a part of the St. Thomas community.

“Not only are students getting to know other first-year students to become friends with, but they’re also getting to know some of our student leaders who are serving as mentors,” Pulles said. “So I think it’s a great way for them to build their social network here in their first year.”

Junior Mayzer Muhammad decided to become a mentor in the program because of his experience as a mentee. He wants to make sure other freshmen don’t make the same mistakes he did.

“I feel like through my freshman year, I didn’t really have the best time on campus because I didn’t get as involved as I should have,” he said. “And then throughout my sophomore year, I really got involved, and I saw the potential of what I could do here at St. Thomas. I just wanted to make sure that any incoming freshman who really wanted that help would be able to also get to that level.”

Muhammad said he benefited from having someone present to look out for him.

“As a mentee, it opened my eyes to what college really was. I mean my mentor, I knew him from beforehand, and he kind of took me under his wing,” Muhammad said. “He kind of showed me around campus, sat with me, helped me pick out my classes and stuff like that.”

Junior Gabrielle Ryan, who became a mentor this year, said she hopes her mentee is comfortable talking to her about any questions she has.

“I think one of my goals as a mentor is just to make sure that my mentee has a place to go if she has questions, from racial stuff from my experiences all the way to housing and applying for classes.”

While the mentors are there to help students succeed in college, Pulles said the program also holds mentees to high standards.

Although SDIS never turns students away from the program, students who sign up must fill out an application and agree to communicate with their mentor when they need help. Mentees fill out a contract at the beginning of the year with their mentor detailing the expectations for the relationship. Both mentors and mentees are expected to attend workshops and social events run by the program.

“It’s a two-way street,” Pulles said. “We want to make sure that the mentors are certainly making the efforts to connect with their mentees and showing up and being there for them, but we also want to make sure that the mentees are holding up their end of the bargain”

In the future, Pulles said he would like to see more students enrolled in the program.

“As long as we continue to have students in the program who are interested and who are really wanting to make some of those connections and learn how to be successful in college…that’s our ultimate goal,” he said, “We’re hoping to have more of that and really hoping for future first year students be successful and thrive here at St. Thomas.”

Muhammad agrees that assisting younger students is important and something upperclassmen should consider.

“It’s a reflection of who you and what you want to see in this world,” he said. “If you feel like you want to see good in this world, you have to put in some effort…mentoring is a way where you can take someone under your wing and have them learn from your experiences.”

Simone Cazares can be reached at caza8656@stthomas.edu.