How to Become a Mentor

Stanislaus State faculty members wishing to participate in the Faculty Mentor Program can call the FMP office at (209) 667-3034, e-mail FMP Director Jason Pourtaverdi at jpourtaverdi@csustan.edu, or drop by the FMP office located in Student Services Building 145.

Faculty Mentor Application

Returning Mentor Application

"A mentor is a person who acts as a sponsor, advocate, guide-or who teaches, advises, trusts, critiques, another to express, pursue and finalize his/her goals." Van Zant 1980

FMP's mentors are specifically trained to meet the needs of Stanislaus State students. Mentors are committed to working with students and enhancing their opportunities for success. The Faculty represents a wide range of academic disciplines. Currently, we have 42 active faculty mentors from 26 departments.

The faculty participate in ongoing training for new faculty, mentor recruits and established faculty mentors. Training includes the review and history of the program, team building, cultural awareness, understanding diversity, and interpersonal strategies for improved communication. Stanislaus State faculty mentors agree the "experiential" workshops are successful, helpful, and that the opportunities for discussion allow them to get to know each other better. In addition to the personal meeting times arranged between mentors and their student protégés, all mentors and protégés can meet at a monthly interaction that is arranged and provided by the program.

  • Inspires you in bad times
  • Develops the self-confidence needed for growth
  • Shares your values and ideas
  • Guides you with mutual trust and understanding
  • Helps you design clear and realistic goals
  • Shares your dreams and enlarges your vision
  • Encourages responsible behavior
  • Believes in you
  • Motivates, encourages, and advises you to succeed
  • Helps you expand your horizons
  • Assists you during a crisis or a turning point
  • Boosts your self-esteem
  • Broadens your contacts on campus and in the community
  • Supports your career and educational goals

Mentor-Protégé relationships can develop into friendships that last a lifetime.

FMP Active Mentor List, 2019-2020

Mentor Department Office Email Ext.
Alexandra Hiropolous Criminal Justice B126B ahiropoulos@csustan.edu 6722
Ana Ljubinkovic Sociology   ana.ljubinkovic@yahoo.it  
Ashley Black History B118L ablack5@csustan.edu 3238
Brent Powell Kinesiology FX132 bpowell1@csustan.edu 3348
Christy Gonzales Liberal Studies B107D cgonzales@csustan.edu 3034
Clarissa Lonn Nichols Student Affairs, VP MSR360H clonn@csustan.edu 3750
Ester McKoon Sociology B158 emckoon@csustan.edu 6513
Jason Pourtaverdi Criminal Justice B118K jpourtaverdi@csustan.edu 3409
Jenni Whitmer Sociology B211A jwhitmer@csustan.edu 3708
Jessica De Silva Mathematics S115 jdesilva1@csustan.edu 3540
José Díaz-Garayúa Geography B216 jdiazgarayua@csustan.edu 3479
Karen Zandarski English DBH229 kzandarski@csustan.edu 3284
Kelly Cotter Psychology B240J kcotter@csustan.edu 3865
Renato Alvim Modern Languages S103B ralvim@csustan.edu 6704
Ryan Logan Anthropology B215B rilogan@csustan.edu  
Sandra Garcia Sandborn Modern Languages S240 garciasandborn@csustan.edu 3501
Sebastian Sclofsky Criminal Justice B118K jsclofsky@csustan.edu  
Victor Luevano Psychology and Child Development B237 vluevano@csustan.edu 3096
Yili Lian Accounting and Finance STK A1019A ylian@csustan.edu  

Updated: October 14, 2022