Concurrent Sessions B: Myths and Magic of Mentoring Underrepresented Students for Success

Mentoring is an educational strategy that works particularly well with underrepresented students, and particularly ALANA students. Effective mentoring can enhance student success and significantly improve educational outcomes for this population. This session will focus on an innovative mentoring program for ALANA and international students at a small New England liberal arts college. The presenters will focus on effective tools for mentoring students from underrepresented groups, including ALANA, international, first-generation and low‐income populations. Additionally, the session will briefly review how the program recruits and retains student participants, provides administrative support, creates student engagement and conducts program assessment; however the main goal of the session will be for participants to better understand the mentoring relationship and how to maximize their roles in this relationship within their particular academic contexts. Finally, this session will serve as a forum for those interested in coming together to learn, discuss and share ideas, research, and best practices about successful mentoring on their respective campuses