Lianna Lochard, Mercy College ‘22
Give Back Scholar ‘17
Follow us as we step into the shoes of Give Back Scholar Lianna and spend the day with her! Lianna is a rising sophomore at Mercy College majoring in business marketing. She is a Brooklyn native who entered Give Something Back through The Osborne Association, which is a community based organization that advocates for solutions preventing and reducing the damage caused by crime and incarceration.
Give Back requires its scholars to take high school classes that will prepare them for the rigors of a college curriculum. As Lianna’s freshman year ends, her final exams are fast approaching. She is reviewing for her European History final at the Mercy College Library. Lianna believes this will be her most challenging exam this semester as there is so much material that she has to master.
Lianna arrived at Mercy College with college credit she earned in high school. She now has the flexibility to take classes outside her business marketing major. Lianna has registered for a creative writing class with a focus in poetry for the fall semester. She said this course will fulfill an English requirement, but also give her a chance to take a “more fun and interesting” course. Lianna also plans on taking oral communications, sales management, advertising and an introductory management accounting course. Mercy College offers 90+ degrees and certificates in dozens of major disciplines at the undergraduate and graduate level.
In the last three years, Mercy has unrolled its PACT (Personalized Achievement Contract) program designed to provide holistic support from professional mentors to students from pre-enrollment coaching through post-graduation planning. PACT mentors support Give Back scholars during this important transition period, as they explore academic interests and figure out how to organize classes, free time, and extracurricular commitments. Since its inception in 2009, PACT mentoring has boosted the college’s retention rate by 10%. PACT mentors are academic guides and all-around resources. They offer students a single point of contact to navigate campus life, career exploration and professional planning. Lianna is meeting with her PACT mentor Nicole for the last time this semester to make sure she takes the correct courses for her major to be able to graduate in four years.
When asked what is the one takeaway from your freshman year, Lianna said that time–management is critical and helps her balance everything. She emphasized that knowing how to use the available resources at a college is also essential. Central to its founding mission, Mercy College is committed to providing motivated students with the tools they need to transform their lives through higher education. The institution has become a leader in producing personalized and high-quality learning environments. It is not only highly ranked for affordability, online excellence, and the quality of student and academic programs, but also for providing fair access to first generation and adult students. All these qualities accommodate Give Back scholars’ needs in New York.
One of Lianna’s undeniable strengths is resourcefulness. Give Back provides resources to its’ scholars but also works hard to establish support and trust within the cohorts of students. This charity is an extra boost during challenging times. Lianna shares anecdotes and life experiences with a fellow Give Back scholar who also attends Mercy College on their stroll across campus. One of Lianna’s biggest takeaways from her first year at Mercy College is to try new things and get involved! Now, as both Give Back scholars have adjusted to all the nuances of college, one of their goals for next year is to join extracurricular clubs and take a more active role on campus.