What FMP means to our participants

How did the Faculty Mentoring Program help you in your academic career?

FMP helped me by providing a mentor that helped me a lot. Also, it was great knowing that I didn’t have to worry about buying scantrons and green books because FMP will provide that for me.

- Bianca E. Castro May

I feel that it gave me the support to bond with a professor who has already been in my shoes and she had so much advice for me. I really feel thankful for the words of wisdom she had for me and all her time and patience that she had with me as well. Made me feel that I had a person rooting me on through this adventure.

- Carolina Hernandez

The Faculty Mentoring Program has been helpful by pairing me with a wonderful staff member that could empathize well with my situation as well as expand my perspective of different topics

- Nancy Tran

I got really lucky with my assigned mentor. Since I was a Liberal Studies, linguistic major I had already had the pleasure of taking one of Jule Garcia’s classes on Ling 100. During this semester I found out that she was going to be my mentor and I couldn’t have been more excited. She was always there to help with anything I needed and especially when I needed help with certain essays or proof reading she was available and willing to help me effectively reflect my thoughts and ideas. She also informed me of many was to expand my learning and experiences within the university and also how to access tools and resources that were available to me! I honestly felt like she was my school mother hen, anything I had questions about or was confused about she was always willing to help!

- Ceresa Hernandez

It helped me with resources (scantrons) with great mentors that met with me on a week to week basis to go over class material that I was having hard time understanding, and the workshops and events that helped foster relationships on campus. As a commuter student it helped me feel part of the campus spirit.

- Israel Santiago-Perez

Ph.D. Escobar is a wonderful mentor and professor. I feel as though I was truly privileged in being paired with him. I hope to maintain the mentor and mentee relationship I have with him even after I graduate. He is truly interested in his student’s success and is always willing to make the time to meet with you and help you in any way that he can. He has inspired me to do the best I can in every aspect of my life.

- Suzan Chudicek

The FMP helped me connect with mentors that I would have otherwise not met. They provided a wealth of information and advice that I could not have found elsewhere.

- Beatriz Quintero 

I loved the Faculty Mentoring Program! I was able to talk to other professors in a casual environment and get tips on successfully completing college. My mentor (Kathy Fuller) has always been supportive and giving me options on what I can do after graduation.

- Belinda Pedraza

The FMP helped me with providing me a mentor that was able to guide me to career goals. Indeed, the program helped me get much closer with my mentor.

- Jennifer Velasco

The FMP has helped drastically with my self-confidence and it has motivated me to finish school strong. My mentor, Marcos Martinez, could tell within 15 minutes of meeting me, that I lacked confidence and was unsure of what I wanted to do after collage. He encouraged me to take time for myself to really sit and focus on what I wanted out of life and out of my degree. He recommended to travel and find what drove me. After meeting with him throughout the semester, I gained more confidence and decided to pursue a career in film. He has been an incredible supporter and has given me some really great advice. The FMP has also helped with financial contributions such as meals, cap and gown, and graduation photos, and school supplies. Since I am putting myself through school and do not have any support from family, these contributions have helped me tremendously. Also having a mentor, and finding people as supporting as everyone in the FMP, has been very uplifting. With the cost of tuition, and the crazy economy, it can be very overwhelming as a student. The uncertainty of finding a job after school while needing to pay back loans is a scary thought, so to have support of the FMP to keep pushing through has meant the world to me.

- Jordan Smalley

I am the first member of my family who achieves higher education, so I had no family member to guide me through the undergraduate and graduate educational process. My mentor fulfilled this gap and helped the entire process of graduating successfully. More importantly, she gave me feedback based on her experience in graduate school. I am a lucky person of having hes as my mentor. She really fulfilled the meaning of a mentor.

- Benjamin Jesus Vasquez Rendon

It got me started, and set me on a path that was beyond my wildest dreams as an academic with unlimited possibilities.

-Shane Anderson

Yes it did! I was able to learn more of the options that are available after graduation. Also that graduate school is a possibility.

- Ariana Pozos

It helps to achieve close connection to people in the area that I was studying. It gave me support, which is important for a student. (Survival kit, scantrons, advice of mentors, cap & gown).

- Cynthia Aron

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I really would like to thank this program for accepting me and helping me out in any way possible. THANK YOU!

- Carolina Hernandez

This is a great program. I hope this programs continues for as long as possible.

- Nancy Tran

When I attended my orientation here at CSUSM and listened while they discussed the Faculty mentoring Program I am not going to lie I thought how awesome, that’s me, first in my family to attend a university and they pay for your cap & gown no way!!! I’m definitely gonna apply!! As great as that sounded at the time and is now that I am graduating two years later, the rest of the opportunities sounded even better and I couldn’t have been more right.

I cannot explain how wonderful and valuable it has been to get to know Professor Jule Garcia. It had been very few times in my life where I have met someone who I just knew was on a completely different level of humanity and just pure goodness. She is one of the most intelligent, strongest, kindest, and giving women I have been had the honor to have been in the presence of. My immediate feelings of inadequacy around her quickly fell away as her warmhearted and humble personality welcomed me in and inspired me beyond anything I have ever experienced. Getting to work with her and use her knowledge to make it through many of the difficult times I have encountered here at the university has been immeasurable but also getting to know her on a personal level only makes me respect her so much more for everything she has gone through and accomplished in her life and career. There is a saying that strong women build one another up; encourage, support and celebrate each other! This is who Jule Garcia is. She has definitely shown me the type of women I want to be and the type of women I will teach my daughters to be and I am forever grateful for that.

- Ceresa Hernandez

This is absolutely a wonderful program!

- Suzan Chudicek

It would have been a lot cooler to have someone from my actual emphasis but I still learned a few things from professor Deb.

- Beatriz Quintero

Since I have been involved with the FMP for the past 2 years, my academic life has improved. I truly loved being part of this program and I hope it helps many other students, like it has helped myself. I became more social and happy to be on campus as a result of this program.

- Belinda Pedraza

Thank you so much for this opportunity. The FMP is a great program that most students should take advantage of. Everything is great. Thank you for my Cap and Gown and everything the program did for the students.

- Jennifer Velasco

Thank you all for all you dedication and hard work towards helping us first time generation students succeed!

- Jordan Smalley

This was a great experience, and a great starting point for many who don’t have family members that went to college or graduate school, but strive to achieve something more.

- Shane Anderson

It helps to achieve close connection to people in the area that I was studying. It gave me support (Survival kit, scantrons, advice of mentors, cap & gown), which is important for a student.

- Cynthia Aron