Students and faculty involved in the Quinnipiac University Enriching Student Transitions mentoring program are looking to expand.

The QUEST program helps to ease the adjustment to university life for underrepresented groups in the student body.

Students are matched with both an upperclassman peer and a staff or faculty mentor within the program.

“Those peers are able to tell them what is going on in that class with that professor, in these buildings, in these student organizations … because they’ve done it,” said Claude Mayo, director of inclusive excellence.

Mentees are paired with mentors based on factors such as shared major or school, common interests, hometown, residence hall or other student organizations.

“Sometimes students feel more inclined and empowered to go to a student rather than a faculty or staff member, to confide in and ask questions to,” said Briona R. Grant, assistant director of inclusive excellence. “That’s why we find so much value in having this peer mentorship relationship.”

The Department of Cultural and Global Engagement was restructured in December 2023 and from it stemmed the Office of Inclusive Excellence. 

QUEST has consisted of 30 pairs in previous years. Grant aims for 50 this year.

“We can ensure that our first-year students, but also our returners, know that they can tap into during this time,” Grant said. “I think my core focus area, and our emphasis in the Office of Inclusive Excellence, is really tapping into our social support.”

The program is currently in the recruitment phase. Grant and Mayo have been working to assemble a team of mentors, and soon get them paired with their mentees.

In recruiting mentors, Grant has begun reaching out to various students from underrepresented groups and inviting them to be a mentor. Grant has provided them with her plans for the year, as well has her encouragement for them to join the program.

The Office of Inclusive Excellence will hold “monthly mix and mingles,” allowing for students and their mentees to socialize. These experiences have themes that mirror events throughout the semester. In October, the theme will involve relaxation and self-care to help students unwind during the midterms season.

Educational events will be held as well, including Critical Conversations that mentors and mentees are encouraged to attend.

Both of these programming series are open to students outside of the QUEST program.

“(These events are) not only to have educational opportunities together, but also just to relax and take it easy in the hustle and bustle of the semester,” Grant said.

The faculty connections that the program provides gives first-year students another support system. Grant and Mayo were both faculty mentors when they were hired.

“But then having that touch point with the faculty or a staff mentor is equally important, because we like to think that we know a little bit better about how to do things long range,” Mayo said.

The program comes full circle for some students, where mentees are encouraged to stay involved in QUEST.

“QUEST is fantastic because of this pure-based system, students that come in as mentees end up becoming mentors,” Mayo said.

The program is not only beneficial for those being mentored, but is fulfilling for mentors as well.

“Being a mentor was more rewarding than being a mentee,” said Autumn White, a senior criminal justice and sociology double major. “I felt like I was making (my mentee) feel more comfortable coming to the university especially as underrepresented communities.”

Mentees can go to their mentors or faculty members for advice and support across a wide variety of topics. The matching process is crucial for this, as mentees can be paired with mentors who have navigated similar college experiences.

“I’m really, really proud of (my mentee from last year), she’s also very independent like me,” White said. “But if she has questions about her major or basic organizational stuff, she’ll come to me.”

The program strives to not only help the adjustment to college easier, but also to build community

“Culture is past,” Mayo said. “Culture doesn’t just happen. It doesn’t get recreated every time it’s passed.”