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For four years now, incoming freshmen that don’t meet academic requirements have been getting a helping hand from the university community. Those students admitted by committee are part of the University of �޻���ֱ�� at Lafayette’s mentoring program.

Mentors and students gathered in the Student Union Ballroom for lunch this week. Faculty, staff and fellow students serve as mentors to 140 students this year.

“ The program has been doing what we hoped it would do,” said Dr. Jennifer Jackson, assistant to the president for Campus Diversity and Community Outreach. “The students who are being mentored are keeping up their grades and tracking with the rest of their freshmen class.”

According to Fall 2008 statistics, students who are mentored are averaging a 2.18 GPA. Students who are not in the program have average GPAs of 2.58. Both groups are earning nearly the same amount of credit hours: mentored students, 13 hours; and non-mentored, 14.

The retention rate for mentored students and those not in the program are 84 percent and 89 percent, respectively.

“ As a member of the University Council for 20 years, we’re always looking at student success,” said Dr. Steve Landry, UL Lafayette’s provost. “With particular interest, we’re asking ‘what can we do to help students be more successful?’ This program is helping.”

Erin Huval, who works as a tutor in the Learning Center, signed up this year to be a peer-to-peer mentor with the program. It’s another way of helping her fellow students, she said.

“ I like to help out and I think the program will help keep me up-to-date with things happening on campus, ” she said.