Rattler Rising

An Elevated Student Advising and Mentoring Experience

St. Mary’s University presents Rattler Rising. Aligned with the goals of promoting excellence, fostering faith formation and preparing students for professional lives as ethical leaders, who are prepared for innovation, change and wise resource stewardship. Rattler Rising seeks to enhance students’ academic, social and leadership skills, career preparation and sense of belonging.

What is Rattler Rising?

Rattler Rising uses current research and theory to expand the current advising model developed in 2018. Advising and mentoring is based on a two-year adviser, mentor and student partnership model that will incorporate an intensive phased collaborative model through the second year. This model aims to increase student success and improve student learning outcomes. This will involve students in enhanced proactive interactions with professional advisers and faculty mentors as they progress through the first two years of their academic programs.

The Four Measurable Outcomes of Rattler Rising

  • Number 1

    Students will cultivate meaningful, substantive relationships with faculty mentors and professional advisers.

  • Number 2

    Students will develop a greater sense of belonging while at St. Mary’s.

  • Number 3

    Students will develop approaches and strategies to help them process, understand and use information.

  • Number 4

    Students will increase professional development engagement to improve their career readiness over two years.

Our Commitment

St. Mary’s is committed to demonstrating our dedication to student success. The plan incorporates tools like the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), Graduate Planning System (GPS), and Educational Development Plan (EDP), with faculty mentoring seminars beginning in Fall 2025 and full implementation in Fall 2026. To assess the impact of Rattler Rising, we will employ a mix of formative and summative assessments, including standardized assessments, surveys, interviews, focus groups and open-ended questions. The project will be overseen by the Quality Enhancement Plan Director and the Senior Director for Student Success.

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