Starting this year, the Office of Student Success has paired up with the Razor’s Edge Scholarship program to deliver a new service on campus: the Student Success Mentoring program. The program will allow freshmen students to receive advice and guidance from Razor’s Edge and Presidential Scholars students.
The program intends to teach students how to mentor others while also providing freshmen with student mentors.
Emilio Lorenzo, the director of Student Success, said that the program aims to identify some challenges that might hinder student success and match students up appropriately with sophomore and junior Razor’s Edge and Presidential scholars, while Razor’s Edge seniors, are going to be mentoring the incoming class of Razor’s Edge and Presidential scholars.
Even though Razor’s Edge and Presidential students are the only ones who can mentor, all students will eventually be able to be mentored by the program.
The program also comes with a point system where participants can earn a scholarship for $1,000. Points can be earned for “meeting with their mentor, advisors, tutors, faculty, going to workshops, going to study sessions and attending a variety of tools for success events,” Lorenzo explained.
To measure the program’s success, Lorenzo said they will evaluate through, “surveys, focus groups, the mentor’s feedback, the mentee’s feedback and their progression to their goals… Our main goal is to support retention rates and student success in all categories.”
The Student Success Mentorship program has drawn concern from Razor’s Edge students.
Senior Razor’s Edge Leadership scholar John Quartararo said, “I’m nervous that due to this program, the uniqueness of each program is being diluted in a sense…due to the addition of Success Mentoring, the legacy project is off the table. It is an optional part of our program where originally it was mandatory.”
The legacy project is a part of the Razor’s Edge Leadership program and is a project that the students work on to leave a lasting impact on Nova Southeastern University’s campus and improve it in some way. Some notable changes on campus that were part of legacy projects were updating the look and menu of Flight Deck and the Shark Fountain.
Sophomore Razor’s Edge Talent scholar, Michael Garza said, “I totally see the benefits of it. My only issue with it was that it was being forced on us without us even really knowing what the program was.”
Lorenzo stated that he wanted to see the program become something, “for our superstar students who already have given so much back, another avenue for them to share their insight and be a trusted friend to those that could use that guidance and resources.”
