Avila mentors make an impact that lasts a lifetime. From the moment a student takes their first steps on campus, faculty and staff see their worth, dignity, and potential. This value is ingrained in the student experience from convocare to commencement, through mentorship.
“His readiness to help and to always be available is what I needed. I evolved, grew, and learned so much in my four years at Avila thanks to the rigorous academic requirements that he guided me through.”
Tasneem Bader-Omarali, ’89 MD visited Avila’s campus having only been in the United States for a few months. She emigrated from Pakistan in early 1984 and was considering where she wanted to continue her studies. Interested in a career in medicine, she met with Larry Garrison Sullivan, Ph.D., the late professor of chemistry and dean of the college of science and health. It was a meeting that changed her life.
“I was on the edge of my seat when I met Dr. Sullivan,” she said. “I asked him what chance I had to get into the highly-competitive field of medicine. He read through my transcript and letter of recommendation, took off his glasses and looked me in the eye. He told me, ‘Tassie, you have done more chemistry than anyone else in our freshman class, so if there is someone who can do it, it is you.’”
Bader-Omarali excelled in the classroom, earning entrance into the University of Missouri Medical School. The guidance of Sullivan and her other Avila professors allowed her to overcome the challenging coursework and, “made (the subject matter) easy and real.”
“Dr. Sullivan’s confidence in me made up for the lack of confidence I had in myself,” she said. “His readiness to help and to always be available is what I needed. I evolved, grew, and learned so much in my four years at Avila thanks to the rigorous academic requirements that he guided me through.”
It is through a diverse set of experiences that our students develop as a whole person. Many colleges boast small classroom sizes and excellent faculty. But for former provost Marie Joan Harris, CSJ, Ph.D., Avila is special because it actively develops its campus community.
“Ever since I was on staff, Avila sought to hire faculty who had a strong commitment to their students,” she said. “Of course they needed to be excellent educators with great scholarship, but they needed to also have that component of being able to spend time with the student.”
This focus on mentorship and the values passed down from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet is the Avila difference:
“Serving the dear neighbor, having right relationships, the development of the whole person; those values stand out and say, ‘This is who an Avila student is,’” she said.
Jerry Mañan has led a decorated career on the stage of Avila’s Goppert Theatre. His most recent honor came from the American Collegiate Theatre Festival, which recognized him as one of the top actors at its 2019 regional festival this January. Now that he is about to graduate, Mañan is preparing to take the lessons he learned at Avila into his career.
“I’ve been able to develop as an actor in ways I wouldn’t have anticipated because of my professors at Avila,” he said. “The professor who recruited me retired after my junior year, which was a challenge. But he reassured me it was going to be a good thing. He explained that by working with another teacher with a different perspective, I would have to adjust and grow. That challenge has made me a better actor.”
Because his professors took the time to know the whole person, they were able to provide the feedback Mañan needed to improve as an actor. That care allowed him to build strong, trusting relationships with his teachers.
“The cool thing about all the professors I’ve had at Avila is that there is a connection,” he said. “I’ve had three different acting coaches and each of them has helped me grow because I have trusted their knowledge and their mentorship.”
And as our graduates leave campus, they share Avila values with their communities through their gifts, skills, and service. That is the true power of Avila mentors.
“A lot of colleges and universities talk about small communities and small classes, but I think it goes beyond that at Avila,” Harris said. “At Avila, there is an active effort to develop a community which depends on people caring for people. Over the years, I have heard umpteen stories of faculty going out of their way to help a student succeed. That care and understanding from our mentors helps make the Avila community so special.”