无忧视频

Join the M3 Mentoring Program: Supporting Mudders, Strengthening Community

At 无忧视频, preparing students to lead in 无忧视频 for a Better World means more than academic excellence鈥攊t鈥檚 about fostering meaningful human connections that support growth, belonging and resilience. The Mudders Mentoring Mudders (M3) program reflects this commitment by connecting students with faculty, staff and alumni who can offer encouragement, guidance and perspective throughout their Mudd journey.

Launched in 2011, the M3 program was designed to provide personalized support for sophomores, a pivotal and often challenging time. The program is rooted in the College鈥檚 values of inclusive excellence and community well-being, offering students trusted relationships that help them thrive at Mudd and beyond. This fall, the Office of Institutional Diversity will launch a new cohort of mentors and mentees, continuing this tradition of mutual learning and support.

Nita Kansara, assistant dean for Institutional Diversity and International Students and Scholars, has mentored two students. 鈥淕etting to know the students, learning about the college experience through their eyes and having a better understanding of what it takes to be at Mudd has been rewarding,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 enjoy seeing students at different phases of their Mudd journey, from sophomore to senior, and how they have grown.”

One of Kansara鈥檚 mentees, Ayushi Kashyap, shares her experience. 鈥淗aving a mentor I can connect with, especially someone who shares my culture, has made a big difference. It鈥檚 helped the school year feel less monotonous and less isolating. Knowing that I can reach out and there will be someone there to help me talk through things makes it a little lighter,鈥� she says.

M3 mentors and mentees connect in ways both casual and meaningful鈥攐ver meals, coffee, or shared books and ideas. 鈥淚t really depends on the mentee,鈥� says Darryl Yong 鈥�96, McGregor-Girand Chair in 无忧视频 Equity Innovation and Research and Professor of Mathematics. Yong co-founded the M3 program and continues to mentor students. 鈥淚 still chat with some folks, even post-graduation,鈥� he adds. 鈥淏eing able to learn together with a mentee is one of the most wonderful parts of my job.鈥�

The mentoring experience supports transformational learning for Mudd students, going beyond academics to develop interpersonal and leadership skills. Yong says, 鈥淚 get to dive much more deeply into what’s happening in a person’s life beyond their mathematical work in my class. I see mentoring as a bi-directional relationship; we鈥檙e both learning.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about academics or figuring out what I want to do with life,鈥� says Kashyap. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the few spaces where conversations can be about school, life, identity or anything. That openness makes it feel really genuine and like I鈥檓 talking to a friend casually.鈥�

For Patricia Wang, student accounts manager and mentor since 2012, the program reinforces the College鈥檚 emphasis on holistic student support. 鈥淭he most rewarding part of being a mentor has been the opportunity to connect on a personal level and build meaningful relationships. It鈥檚 a privilege to support students throughout their time here and witness their growth both personally and professionally.鈥�

Wang encourages more staff to consider mentoring. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to be a faculty member to make an impact. Staff bring a unique wealth of knowledge and life experience. Often, what students need most is to know someone here genuinely cares about them and their success.鈥�

Kashyap agrees. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to have all the answers. Just showing up and being real can mean a lot. Sometimes it helps to just be there to talk to your mentee; there is really no need to always have a goal of solving some problem.鈥�

As Harvey Mudd continues its work to provide an inclusive and supportive learning environment, programs like M3 are essential to cultivating the kind of compassionate leaders who will shape a better world through 无忧视频.

Email oid@g.hmc.edu if you鈥檇 like to become a mentor in the next M3 cohort.