St. Cloud State University celebrated the seventh year of the Dr. Potter Bigs on Campus Mentoring Initiative with an end of year celebration on May 10 in the Atwood Memorial Center.
The Bigs on Campus program brings together faculty, staff and alumni with students from South Junior High and Tech High School for a mentorship relationship that offers students to become more familiar with a college campus, and to allow students to think about life after high school and what their futures could look like.
“We’re proud to be continuing St. Cloud State’s partnership with Independent School District 742, Spanier Bus and the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization through this very special program that inspires and motivates participating youth to advance academically and socially and to pursue higher educational goals,” SCSU President Robbyn Wacker said. “I also want to recognize and thank the leadership and staff of St. Cloud State’s Department of Campus Involvement, as well as our many faculty and staff and student mentors for their role in keeping this program strong on our campus.”
Late SCSU President Earl H. Potter III was a longtime supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters and an eager partner early on in the initiative. His commitment to Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Bigs on Campus initiative inspired the program to be named in his honor.
“Together, we are honoring the legacy of the late President Earl H. Potter III, who enthusiastically launched this initiative to give youth in our community experiences and relationships that encourage them to imagine a future that includes going to college,” President Wacker said. “Along the way the friendships and associations created through the program have been mutually rewarding to Bigs and Littles alike.”
The Bigs on Campus program has continued to grow each year while celebrating 38 matches during the 2022-23 year, 15 of which are employees of SCSU. The program is seeing more students go on to take college courses and attend college as a result, with seven of the 10 graduating seniors planning to attend SCSU in Fall 2023.
“We’re proud to say that 15 mentors are SCSU employees who are receiving Big satisfaction as they interact with their Littles and remind each other how powerful relationships can be,” Wacker said. “Through conversation, activities and sharing experiences and perspectives, they are encouraging understanding and mutual regard. They are changing lives and building dreams.”
The program is a partnership between St. Cloud State, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota and the St. Cloud Area School District. Mentors can be faculty, staff members, alumni, or juniors, seniors or graduate students. They meet with their Littles from October through May, with the Littles getting bused to SCSU twice a month to meet for one hour with their Bigs over the lunch hour.
For more information or to sign up as a mentor, fill out the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota Volunteer Interest Form.
