RISE Mentoring Marks First Year
The RISE Mentoring Program celebrated its first year with a reception honoring mentors and mentees on Friday, May 13.
Katty Petak, senior director of alumnae relations emceed the program, and Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, welcomed the students and their mentors. Marcia Shadle-Cusic ’76, member of the RISE committee, provided the opening prayer.
Gabriella Linbrunner ’22 offered a testimonial on how the program helped her during her senior year at CSM. “I believe that the mentoring program truly embodies what the College of Saint Mary mission reflects. CSM’s mission is heavily focused on inclusivity and the RISE Mentorship program continually provided inclusion into not only the current CSM community, but exposing us to the alumnae community full of influential women that have succeeded at CSM and continue to do so in their professional lives,” she said.
Maryann Touitou ’70 thanked the mentors for their efforts. Each mentor was presented a gift, while each mentee was presented a certificate for completing the program.
The RISE Mentoring Program pairs a CSM junior or senior with an alumna mentor for the duration of the school year to help them transition into their professional life and to provide support.
Mentees who participated in the program include Tatiana Alfaro, Amelia Becker, Grace Blum, Meera Cao, Haleigh Compton, Itzel Cruz Victoriano, Briseyda Garcia Ticas, Anna Grace Hough, Jaquelin Ibarra Aldaba, Mahria Jackson, Emily Jacobson, Julia Javier-Lopez, Paige Keefe, Sara Kmiecik, Nicole Knight, Bontle Letlole, Gabriella Linbrunner, Sophia Pico Del Villar and Gwyneth Sinclair.
Mentors included Gabriela Alvarez Wilcox ’15, Daniela Padilla ’10, Erin Reilly Koborg ’05, Cory Stevenson ’19, Nichole Curry Olsen ’06, Andrea Saaverdra Garcia ’18, Jasmin Townsend ’17, Erin Grundmayer Mead ’16, Ana Alejandra Angel Saldana ’18, Sheri McAlister Howard ’99, Kristi Kult ’08, Dr. Maryann Forsell DDS ’14, Rosemary Stanek Jaspersen ’70, Andrea Duren Carlson ’94, Danielle Laudenklos Hanlon ’11, Jennifer Ramirez Thurman ’15, Tiffany Fascianella Howard ’07, Erin Donovan ’12, ’14, ’18, Pamela Walker Stennis ’00, and Kali Frey Evans ’08.
Those interested in becoming a mentor should contact Petak at 402-399-2411 or vpetak [at] csm.edu.
