51视频

For many students, a bond with a professor, an advisor, a coach or another person on campus can make all the difference in their college experience and set them up for future success.听

Sometimes it鈥檚 a matter of connecting students to resources or helping them clarify goals. Sometimes they provide a spark of inspiration or the encouragement to keeping moving in the toughest of times. We checked in with several River Hawks who talked about their mentors on campus and the impact they鈥檝e had.

Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Assoc. Teaching Prof. Deborah Finch saw something right away in business student Adam Basma.

鈥淎dam stood out in class. He always came prepared and asked great questions,鈥� says Finch, who suggested to Basma that he join the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute as a marketing intern his freshman year. 鈥淚 just knew he had this entrepreneurial spirit that DifferenceMakers would help him explore further.鈥�

Four years later, Basma still works for the program. He also followed Finch鈥檚 lead and published his first book, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a Tale in Between,鈥� through the Creator Institute.

鈥淧rof. Finch has been a huge support for me throughout my college career,鈥� says Basma, who has a sales development job at ZoomInfo waiting for him after he graduates this spring. 鈥淚t just goes to show that as long as you put in the work and meet the right people, you鈥檙e surrounded by an ecosystem of positivity and innovation at 51视频.鈥�

Honors psychology and sociology major Debby Fernand began building a network of mentors for herself through the River Hawk Scholars Academy (RHSA), a support program for first-generation college students. She says the RHSA鈥檚 director, English Assoc. Teaching Prof. Matthew Hurwitz, was her first mentor at UML 鈥� and connected her to all the rest.

Hurwitz introduced her to Criminal Justice Asst. Teaching Prof. Yahayra Michel, who mentored her and then took her on as a research assistant. Fernand went on to do research with other faculty, paving her path to graduate school in applied sociology.

鈥淢att really does change people鈥檚 minds and lives, and he gives them the tools and connections to do it,鈥� Fernand says. 鈥淎nd he believes in us even when we don鈥檛 believe in ourselves.鈥�

When biomedical engineering major William Zouzas began applying to grad school, he realized just how valuable the mentorship of Prof. Bryan Buchholz has been to him.

鈥淗e鈥檚 given me a lot of great guidance both inside and outside the classroom. And if I need help with a grad school recommendation, he鈥檚 more than willing to write one,鈥� says Zouzas, who took occupational biomechanics with Buchholz 鈥� and was then advised by him for his Industrial Capstone Senior Design project.

For Buchholz, working directly with students outside the classroom 鈥渋s probably the most rewarding part of this job.鈥�

鈥淪eeing them develop projects and accomplish things, as opposed to just taking exams, is fulfilling,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd having students like William who like what they鈥檙e doing and really work hard makes it so much easier.鈥�

Dorcas Ruhamya was terrified when Chemistry Assoc. Teaching Prof. Khalilah Reddie asked her to come to her office after class.听聽

But when Ruhamya, a pre-med student and honors biology major, arrived, Reddie invited her to join MAGIC, a program to help students from underrepresented groups succeed in health care careers.听 Reddie also told Ruhamya she鈥檇 need to improve her grades to get into medical school.听

Together, they outlined a plan of study. Ruhamya would go to the Centers for Learning for tutoring every day. She would also attend MAGIC鈥檚 meetings and weekly tutoring sessions and ace all her other science classes. 鈥淚 used everything Prof. Reddie recommended, and it came out great,鈥� says Ruhamya, who is now getting the grades she needs to apply to medical school. 鈥淪he raised me so fast, in one semester 鈥� she was really the pivotal point of my life.鈥�

With Reddie's help, Ruhamya has tapped into a network of support, especially among the students and tutors in MAGIC.

鈥淧rof. Reddie built this community,鈥� she says. 鈥淪he works so hard that I had no reason to fail. She gives us everything.鈥�

Before a student goes out on co-op, they鈥檙e required to take a professional development seminar. Business student Nicole Resendes鈥� friends told her to take it with Jim McGonigle.

鈥淗e helped me so much with real-world advice,鈥� says Resendes, who landed her top choice as a social media marketing co-op at MFS Investment Management. 鈥淚t helped having that structure and guidance.鈥�

McGonigle, now assistant director of employer relations for Career Services, was impressed by Resendes鈥� diligence and follow-through.

鈥淕iving students advice and sharing the tools that I鈥檝e learned over the years, and then seeing a student like Nicole implement them and be excited about it, that鈥檚 the best part of my job,鈥� he says. 鈥淪tudents like Nicole are the reason I work in education.鈥�

Exercise science major Andreas Himariotis had no interest in research until he met Asst. Prof. David Cornell of the Department of Physical Therapy and Kinesiology.听

鈥淒r. Cornell was passionate about his work, and because of that, I immediately took an interest in research,鈥� says Himariotis, who expects to continue on to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program after graduating with his bachelor鈥檚 degree.听

Himariotis joined Cornell鈥檚 research team, which tested the accuracy of a finger sensor used to measure heart rate variability. He learned how to write scientific papers, conduct literature reviews, collect data and create professional conference presentations.听

鈥淚 was lucky enough to present at the conference and won an award for it, all with the help of my mentor, Dr. Cornell,鈥� says Himariotis.听

Cornell says that Himariotis鈥檚 enthusiasm and openness to new experiences will serve him well in his future career.

鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud of all that Andreas has accomplished. He鈥檚 completing tasks that a graduate student would typically do and completely immersed himself in the research process,鈥� Cornell says.