GLBEC mentors aspire to combat college attrition and limited access by utilizing a comprehensive means of support structures in place to promote high school and college completion simultaneously. The system of supports is structured upon two core components: mentoring and successful completion of a college readiness course. Though these components are identified as separate entities, they are blended into a focused and intentional series of experiences that come to fruition over the course of a student’s entire progression through GLBEC.

Early colleges address post-secondary access; mentoring addresses college attrition. GLBEC mentors build a strong rapport with mentees. In a case study by De Laet et al. (2015), better student-teacher relationships resulted in more positive school engagement from students, and as a result, the study recommends that careful consideration of a student’s social and emotional development will be a top priority. 

A positive influence, as addressed by Liang, Spencer, Brogan, & Corral (2008), “requires much time and patience [with] mentors who invest in winning youth’s trust and confidence” (p.178). Lindt & Blair (2017) agree that a mentor’s effectiveness for engaging students is tied to the depth of knowledge a mentor has about his or her student as well as the time a mentor has invested into the individualized measure of success for their mentee. Mentors act as the primary go-to person, guiding students through their personal and academic development.

Mentor Assignment

Mentees are assigned to a mentor with consideration of the following factors:

• Class sizes for college readiness courses

• The interested career path of new mentees

• Total number of mentees per mentor

• Please see the Mentoring Guidebook