The Minority Student Peer Mentoring Program
The vast majority of first year students, though genuinely excited about beginning their college careers, face a variety of transitional challenges such as getting organized and oriented to a new surrounding, learning tons of new names and faces, coping with "first year jitters", homesickness, making new friends, personal decision making, etc...
Though all of these "new" tasks are completely
normal, there are plenty of campus resources and services available to assist
you while you make the exciting and successful transition from high school to
college life. In addition to faculty, staff, Vencyl Carr Teaching
Assistants/TA, Resident Assistants/RA, Student Life staff and others, the
Minority Student Peer Mentoring Program is yet another resource that is
designed to offer support to first year African-American students.
The program itself pairs new students with a sophomore, junior, or senior
student who can offer guidance and familiarity within the campus. Mentors are
carefully selected and considered experienced, accomplished, and respected
community members. Your mentor can help you to become adjusted by:
- Assisting you in identifying needed campus resources and services.
- Connect you to other students within the community.
- Encourage your academic and personal success.
- Answer questions and/or advise you on "where to go" to get an appropriate answer.
- Encourage and support you in leadership and involvement.
- Offer personal insight on strategies for mastering many of the "new" aspects of college life.
- Serve as a positive role model and additional resource person.
While peer mentors self-identify their willingness to assist new students, it is important to note that they are also students who have busy schedules and demanding personal lives. Thus, one of the more appealing aspects of the program is that it is designed to be an equal partnership where new students are actively engaged rather than passive participants. This simply means that you and your mentor will work together to insure that there is always a healthy line of communication. In fact, peer mentors invite you to ask questions, telephone them to check in periodically, or even stop them on the sidewalk to give them an update.
Following a series of leadership training, members of the Peer Mentor team have a clear understanding that their primary role is to help by being genuinely invested in success of all first-year students. More detailed information about ways in which to become involved in the Minority Student Peer Mentoring program will be available at the beginning of the Fall semester.