First Year Mentoring Program

The First Year Mentoring Program is a cornerstone of the Foundations for Success program in the Lyles College of Engineering! Each year, over 100 alumni and friends of Fresno State from the engineering, construction management, and architecture industries commit to a few virtual interactions with first year students in these industries. This small commitment can have a huge impact on a first year student's self efficacy and sense of belonging in their field, both of which have been shown in numerous studies to improve student retention in STEM. The success of this program is a testament to the Lyle's College of Engineering's strong industry support and the dedication of the Pathways Student Services, which administers the program. 

If you are an engineering, architecture, or construction management professional who is interested in supporting the success of a first year student by serving as a mentor, please complete the Mentor Registration Survey. If you have any questions about the Mentoring program, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Stillmaker at kstillmaker@mail.fresnostate.edu.

Mentor qualifications:

• Professional with bachelor's degree in an engineering, construction management, or architecture discipline (or significant work experience in these industries)
• Approachable, positive, and supportive

Mentor Expectations:

• Attend 1 hour virtual orientation meeting
• Minimum of 4 virtual meetings with each mentee (2 in Fall semester and 2 in Spring semester)

Mentee Expectations:

• Enroll in first year introductory courses in LCOE
• Minimum of 4 virtual meetings with mentor (2 in Fall semester and 2 in Spring semester) - Engagement with their mentor is a graded component of introductory courses in LCOE.