Caring for the whole person

The Office of Student Diversity Programs is taking a new spin on their mentoring program cura personalis. The program, which means ‘taking care of the whole person,’ has been available to freshmen for the past two years.’ ‘

The Cura Personalis Mentoring Program strives to aide first year students with their new lives here at the University, in every aspect of college life.’ This year, directors are making changes to aide students during their first year of college life even further.
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In the past, mentors met with their assigned freshmen students once a month. However, this year there will be weekly meetings between mentor and freshmen as well as a monthly meeting with Melissa Jaquez, an area coordinator for Residence Life, as well as a co-coordinator of the program. There are also three large dinners for all involved in the program throughout the school year.

‘One thing that makes this program different is the requirement that student mentors must meet with their mentees once a week’ said Meredith Marquez of the Office of Student Diversity Programs. ‘We feel that the constant contact between mentor and mentee builds a meaningful relationship and allows students to ask questions and address issues as they come up,’ said Marquez.

At these meetings they talk not only about academics, but about issues like extra curricular activities and friends.

Many students are familiar with New Student Programs such as First Year Mentor, but Cura Personalis serves as another outlet for many students who are new community members at the University.’

Meredith Marquez of the Office of Student Diversity Programs said that the program ‘focuses on mentoring first year students of color and first generation college students. However, once the school year gets under way, any first year student is eligible to apply.’
Cura Personalis was started at Fairfield University by La’Kicia Fuller, who was the assistant director of The Center for Multicultural Relations. It was derived from a similar program at Wake Frest. Other aspects of the program have been derived from mentoring programs from Springfield College and College of the Holy Cross.