July 28, 2026
This month, St. Mary’s University has received the Advising Success Network 2026 Student Choice Award for Holistic Advising. The award honors institutions that “demonstrate a strong commitment to elevating student voices and perspectives,” stated the Advising Success Network.
The network includes national partner organizations convened by NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The network fosters caring cultures, which “support students in achieving their personal, academic, and career goals.”
A panel of seven students enrolled in colleges across the U.S. selected the winners. St. Mary’s received the award for its Rattler Rising program, which the network described as “thoughtful and comprehensive efforts, innovative practices, collaboration, assessment, and student-centered approaches that will serve as a model for institutions across the country.”
At St. Mary’s, the Rattler Rising advising and mentoring model includes a two-year adviser-mentor-student partnership that uses proactive, phased engagement to build stronger student relationships, said Lydia Bartlett, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Education and Rattler Rising Director. The program targets four measurable outcomes: meaningful faculty and adviser relationships, a stronger sense of belonging, improved information-processing strategies and increased career-readiness engagement.
“Being selected for the NASPA Student Choice Award underscores the intentional work our academic advisers and faculty mentors invest in creating a student‑centered, equity-focused learning environment,” Bartlett said. “This recognition highlights the national impact of our program and the meaningful ways our advisers and mentors guide students toward professional readiness and long-term success.”
The award includes $10,000, which will support the Rattler Success Fund, a student-centered resource designed to close financial gaps so students can participate in high-impact practices, such as pursuing unpaid internships, paying graduate exam fees or traveling to academic conferences.
Hear from the advisers:
David Sommer, Ph.D., Charles E. Cheever Chair of Risk Management, Professor of Finance and faculty mentor in the Greehey School of Business
“Serving as a Rattler Rising mentor has been incredibly rewarding. The program creates valuable opportunities for faculty to build relationships with first- and second-year students whom we may not have in class yet. I can sense that this has strengthened students’ sense of belonging and connection to the University. The program also encourages students to take greater ownership of their academic success while giving faculty the opportunity to recognize when a student may be struggling and connect them with the support they need. Rattler Rising is a great example of our Marianist commitment to educating in family spirit, and I am proud to be part of it.
Céline A. Jacquemin, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science and faculty mentor in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
“Rattler Rising provides training sessions that engage us across disciplines in best practices to support, advise and mentor our students. Faculty get to openly share examples of challenges and, more importantly, reveal their best ways of connecting and guiding students. Rattler Rising made us more collaborative within departments since it brings the discussions about advising and mentoring for success to the forefront.”