Some of the most important moments in a student’s education never appear on a syllabus. They happen in conversations after class, in an email exchange about an assignment that becomes a discussion about calling, or when a professor recognizes something in a student that the student has not yet learned to recognize in themselves. This is why college faculty mentorship matters. Education is certainly about gaining knowledge and developing skills, but at its best, it is also about becoming a certain kind of person.
I have had the privilege of experiencing this from both sides of the relationship. As a professor, I have watched students discover abilities, interests, and even callings they did not recognize when they first entered the classroom. As a student myself, I have also experienced the tremendous value of faculty members who do more than evaluate my academic work. The best mentors ask questions, challenge assumptions, encourage possibilities, and help us see where our intellectual journey may be taking us. That kind of relationship is different from simply having a good teacher.
A good professor can explain difficult material clearly, design meaningful assignments, and help students master the content of a course. Academic advising likewise serves an important purpose by helping students choose courses, understand degree requirements, and navigate their academic programs. Mentorship, however, moves beyond both of these roles. A mentor takes an interest not only in what a student knows or what classes they need, but also in who that student is becoming.
Research suggests that these relationships matter tremendously. The National Survey of Student Engagement notes that interaction with faculty can positively influence students’ intellectual growth, development, and persistence. Faculty members serve not only as teachers but also as advisors and mentors who help students connect what they are learning with their future plans. Research on undergraduate faculty mentoring similarly identifies close student-faculty interaction as an important contributor to student learning and success.
Perhaps even more striking is research from Gallup. In a study involving more than 75,000 college graduates, alumni who strongly agreed that a professor had cared about them as a person were more likely to report later workplace engagement, personal well-being, and a strong emotional connection to their university. Yet only 27 percent of graduates strongly agreed that they had experienced that kind of relationship with a professor. Findings like this remind us that meaningful professor-student relationships are not incidental to education. They are part of what makes education transformative.
For Christian higher education, however, I believe we should take this idea one step further. Christian education has never been concerned merely with the accumulation of information. Jesus did not simply communicate ideas to his disciples; he formed people. The biblical vision of teaching is deeply relational because Christian formation involves the whole person—mind, character, vocation, relationships, and faith.
That means student development cannot be reduced to academic achievement alone. A student may need someone who recognizes a gift that should be cultivated. Another may need a professor willing to challenge an assumption that has never been seriously examined. Still another may need someone who can help connect what is happening in the classroom with a sense of calling or purpose. Sometimes mentorship means offering encouragement. Sometimes it means asking a difficult question. Often it simply means knowing a student well enough to recognize which one is needed.
This is one of the things I value about serving at Manna University. Our educational model creates opportunities for faculty to know students as people rather than simply as names attached to assignments. Especially in an online learning environment, that kind of intentionality matters. Research on online higher education has found that students value faculty mentoring and believe that encouragement and mentoring from professors can strengthen their academic experience and their connection with faculty.
Technology has given us extraordinary opportunities to make higher education accessible to students whose lives, families, ministries, careers, or locations might otherwise make college difficult. But accessibility should not require anonymity. Students can learn at a distance without being educated at a distance relationally.
Ultimately, faculty mentorship matters because education is about more than completing courses and earning a credential. It is about growth. It is about discovering gifts, sharpening thinking, developing character, and preparing to serve faithfully wherever God leads.
Years after graduation, students may forget the details of a particular lecture or assignment. But they are unlikely to forget the professor who knew their name, recognized their potential, challenged them to grow, and cared about the person they were becoming. Sometimes the most enduring lesson a professor teaches begins when the lecture ends.
Works Cited
The National Survey of Student Engagement
Jeff Christensen, Faculty