On the third floor of Wescoe Hall, which is infamous for its sharp edges, cold façade and Kafkaesque hallways, there is a room that appears to be almost the polar opposite of the unwelcoming structure that harbors it.

Walking into room 3019, you immediately notice a wicker chair covered with a blanket standing to the corner, stuffed animals spread around the bookshelves, and a table sustaining a coffee machine, tea set and jar of candy.

You will also likely find Mary Klayder ready to chat about anything that is on your mind — whether it be complaining about classes, dealing with present personal problems or preparing for future career plans. “I like to think this is a safe spot,” says Klayder, who has been an honors lecturer at the University since 1992. She has advised hundreds of students throughout those years and has developed a close relationship with more than a handful of them.

Students who develop close relationships with people like Klayder are not only more likely to succeed in college, but they may also reap benefits after graduating. Relationships with mentors give students an added sense of security during the exciting and troubling years on the hill.

Mandy Shriwise, Overland Park senior, has had Klayder as a professor and an advisor for the last five years. During that time, Klayder has helped her deal with personal crises, choosing classes and making the necessary connections to succeed. Former students of Klayder have helped Shriwise with her graduate school applications.

Shriwise first met Klayder in her freshman English 105 class and started visiting her during office hours to try to figure out some of the uncertainties that plague almost every freshman. “I never expected to have a relationship like that with my professors,” says Shriwise, “I was surprised by it.”

The relationship Shriwise forged with Klayder has been crucial for her academic development. As undergraduates, students have so many interests that one of the goals is to narrow them down and prepare for the future. Mentors are just the people to help with that process.

Klayder says that it can be hard on students when they don’t have a feeling of connection to the University, especially in their freshman year. “KU can get really small once you know it, but you’ve got to know how to make those connections.” As Klayder explains, a lot of what she does is send people to other people. She is the “networking lady.”

Steve Munch, ’06 alumnus and a law student at Northwestern University, experienced Mary Klayder’s networking prowess first hand as he got to know her better. While he was still at the University, Klayder directed Munch to two professors who would go on to greatly influence his college experience and future graduate school career.

Munch says when you build personal bonds with professors and they get to know you as an individual, it is easier for them to guide you in the right direction.

Successful college students know how to ask question and how to use the resources available to them, and developing a relationship with professors is a combination of both, says Marlesa Roney, Vice Provost for Student Success.

Some of the tangible benefits of creating a bond with a faculty member range from possibly getting an A instead of a B to being offered research and employment opportunities at the University.

Shriwise says that students need to change their perception once they come to college and realize they have to take a vested interest in their education. It’s up to the student to be proactive and forge those connections. And even though some students may be nervous in approaching their professors, once they take the risk they realize how open the faculty is, says Roney.

“Break the wall and you’ll be successful,” Shriwise says.

But it’s not only the students who benefit from these relationships. By talking with students, professors have an opportunity to see how the information they are transmitting works in today’s world and if they have to make any changes to their methodology, Roney says.

And in many cases the relationship moves beyond the purely professional sphere. Students stay in touch with advisors and friendships can develop. Throughout October and April, Klayder’s busiest months in terms of advising, it is common to see a line forming out of her office door full of students waiting to talk to her. As for proof that her networking leads to more than just academic and professional connections? So far she has been to two weddings of students who met in her busy hallway.