June 2006
Mentor Tech Helps Students Achieve Academic Success
Mentor Tech Program Director Cory S. Powell, a native of San Antonio and a graduate of Texas Tech University, knows first-hand what an adjustment college can be for new students.
Written by Scott Irlbeck
The college environment can be especially difficult for some students, such as first-generation college student Alexandria Williams.
“Lubbock was really different for me,” Williams says. “Being a minority student, I needed help adjusting to a different lifestyle.”
Texas Tech’s answer for students entering the unfamiliar environment of higher education, such as Alexandria was to establish the Lauro Cavazos & Ophelia Powell-Malone Mentoring Program in the fall of 2002. The program, now known as Mentor Tech and relocated to the new TTU Cross-Cultural Academic Advancement Center, pairs students from all backgrounds with mentors within the university community according to their academic, professional and cultural interests.
“Mentor Tech really helped me branch out and become a very open-minded person,” Alexandria says.
The program is named for Dr. Lauro Cavazos, who was president of Texas Tech and later the first Hispanic appointed to a cabinet level position when President Ronald Reagan appointed him Secretary of Education in 1988. Ophelia Powell-Malone was the first African-American to receive a baccalaureate degree from Texas Technological College in 1964.
Today Mentor Tech has grown to more than 400 individuals and continues to expand under the Office of the President. Every semester Mentor Tech connects students with the resources they need to become an academic success.
Coming to college can be a big adjustment for any student. But for some students, including Alexandria Williams, there are unique barriers to success. Watch the video>>
Alexandria came to Texas Tech four years ago from Dallas. Her reaction to the school and her need for help are normal, according to Cory Powell, Mentor Tech program director.
“Coming from a metropolitan area where you are amongst others who look like you can be an adjustment because the culture here is so different,” Powell says. “Our goal is to connect students that participate in Mentor Tech with existing resources and cultivate the type of atmosphere that will help them succeed.”
Those resources are faculty and staff members, like Everne Williams, who volunteer their time.
She is an employee benefits supervisor for the university and has been involved with the Mentor Tech program since its inception. Her knowledge of Texas Tech is invaluable for her protégés.
“Part of the problem for students is they don’t know the university system,” Williams says. “Sometimes students just need to know how to go from point A to point B and still be able to get results in a timely manner. I graduated from Texas Tech and now work here so I know the steps to get things done or to get them pointed where they need to go. Plus it is just rewarding for me to know I can make a positive impact on their lives. Students are our future and we need to assist them in whatever it takes for them to be successful.”
As a unit within the Office of the President, Mentor Tech appropriately offers rigorous academic workshops and career seminars along with social events to help students make the most of their time at Texas Tech University. And Powell says that, although a significant number of participants are members of underrepresented populations, Mentor Tech is open to all freshmen, transfer and first-year graduate students interested in resources and experiences that enrich their time at Texas Tech and improve their pursuit of academic excellence.
For more information on the program, visit the Mentor Tech Web site.
Although many participants are members of under-represented populations, Mentor Tech is open to all freshmen, transfer and first-year graduate students interested in resources and experiences that enrich their time at Texas Tech and improve their pursuit of academic excellence. 
Mentors are faculty and staff members who give back to the students because they believe in the program and want to make a difference. |
Mentors and protégés are paired according to their academic, professional, social and cultural interests. 
As a unit within the Office of the President, Mentor Tech offers rigorous academic workshops and career seminars along with social events to help students make the most of their time at Texas Tech. |
Watch Dr. Randal Pinkett, Rhodes Scholar and recent Donald Trump “Apprentice” winner! (Flash 1:00) Dr. Pinkett was the keynote speaker for the Mentor Tech Scholarship Banquet on April 25th, 2006. Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, 806-742-2136. |