Regents Mentoring

Mentorship

UNM Regents’ Scholars are matched and assigned to a mentor(s). Mentors are faculty members selected by the Coordinator of the Regents’ Scholars program. Each Scholar/Mentor match is a result of research compiled from student demographics and intended fields of study. Regents’ Scholars are encouraged to meet with their mentors regularly. Mentors will also contact Scholars from time to time throughout their UNM career.

Mentors may assist in the following areas: advisement, employment (referrals), personal count-selling, internship opportunities, etc.

Regents’ Scholars Faculty Coordinator

Dr. Leslie Donovan, a long-time faculty member of the Honors College, serves as the Faculty Coordinator for the Regents’ Scholars Program. Dr. Donovan provides students in the program with general academic advisement, information on special opportunities, assistance with applications for internships and graduate school as well as many other advisement activities. In addition, Dr. Donovan organizes regular meetings for Regents’ Scholars throughout the year as well as the Regents’ Scholars New Student Orientation each August. She also assists in the application and selection process. To contact Dr. Donovan, call (505) 277-4313 or email her at ldonovan@unm.edu.

Honors College Participation

Regents’ Scholars are required to participate in the Honors College by submitting an application. They should also participate in departmental honors in their majors. The application process must be completed for both the Honors College (as freshmen) and departmental (as juniors). Advantages of the Honors College include the following: special library privileges, space in Honors seminars, small courses of no more than 17 students, Honors advisement, and special program consideration (e.g., Conexiones, Scribendi, etc). Students must maintain the minimum Honors College standards. Failure to participate in either the Honors College or in departmental honors may result in the cancellation of the Regents’ Scholarship, even in the third or fourth years of the award. Participation in Honors will be verified annually by the Regents’ Scholars Faculty Coordinator.

Meetings

Each semester, the Regents’ Scholars Coordinator will hold meetings for Regents’ Scholars. These meetings may include guest speakers, special discussion topics, workshops for improving academic skills, or open discussions on a variety of subjects. Such meetings encourage students in the program to get to know each other and to learn from as well as collaborate with each other in ways that frequently allow them to form networks of professional colleagues and friends beyond college.

Facebook Page

Regents’ Scholars are invited to join a special page on Facebook designed to allow them to interact with each other and get information about special opportunities and events. Since this is a page only for current and past Regents’ Scholars, students must request access to it. Non-Regents’ Scholars are not allowed to join.

Residence Hall

The University of New Mexico provides special housing accommodations for Regents’ Scholars and other Honors students in the Scholars Community of Hokona Hall. Only students in the Honors College are eligible to participate in the Scholars Community housing plan.

Services offered in the Scholars Community include personalized advisement and/or counseling, forums for open dialogues, a student-edited newsletter, and specialized academic and social activities. In addition, Scholars Community residents are given the opportunity to live in an atmosphere that is conducive to serious study.

Living in UNM’s residence halls, such as Scholars Community, benefits students by allowing them to:

  • Become a member of an active, supportive community;
  • Participate in community activities, programs, and organizations;
  • Experience personal growth with opportunities to gain independence and display leadership;
  • Earn a higher grade point average;
  • Graduate more quickly;
  • Transition more easily into college life;
  • Make friends who share similar interests;
  • Meet students with a diversity of life experiences;
  • Enjoy a more convenient and less expensive living style;
  • Learn principles of civility among roommates and neighbors.

Because the Scholars Community provides an essential opportunity to participate in specific Honors student activities as well as general student life programs, all Regents’ Scholars are required to live in the Scholars Community during their freshman year. After their first year at UNM, Regents’ Scholars may choose to live in other campus housing or off campus.

Regents’ Scholars must apply for housing in the Scholars Community and are encouraged to do so as early as possible. For more information about UNM Housing and to submit an application, visit housing.unm.edu.