A case study on the impact of a mentorship program on low socioeconomic status students at a four-year urban university

Mentorship is an essential component to undergraduate student success and may be the catalyst for contributing factors that increase retention rates and grade point averages (GPAs) among the low socio-economic student (SES) population. A university sponsored mentorship program specifically geared toward low SES students was examined to define and measure variables that have had an impact on student success. As of the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year, the student mentees in the mentorship program have had a 90% retention rate. The purpose of this action research mixed methods case study was to identify those variables that have contributed to the success of 215 participating low SES students in the mentorship program. Retention rates and GPAs were compared between the student mentees and their non-mentored counterparts at the university. Supported by an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, surveys and one-on-one interviews collected qualitative data to further triangulate the hypothesis that low SES students who are mentored are more successful in college than their non-mentored counterparts.