Student mentoring program
Our institution has developed a student mentoring program where new students are paired with current students to help in making the transition from current situations to college life. We try to recruit current students who have at least one year left to insure some continuity in the program. Also, faculty and staff serve as advisors to the mentors and also meet with the first quarter students. The student mentor and the advisor ask the new student various questions about how they are making the transition to college life. At first, the program was successful, but lately it has failed to achieve the required level of retention. Do any other institutions do similar things and if you do what kind of things have you found to be helpful in achiveing your retention goals?
Joe, it seems that you a well developed program. Unfortunately, sometimes even good programs need to be re-vitalized. Have you thought about creating some sort of competition among the programs involved? The prize could be a meal, a floating trophy or any other visible recognition. Have you asked the student mentors for ideas? Often they know why things are stalled. Good luck; let us know what happens
What motivates the students acting as mentors to peform their "job" well? How do you screen potential students to ensure that the most qualified students are selected for mentorship? I've had student mentors in my classes that demonstrated poor attendance, class-room work, and a poor attitude, thus setting the wrong example for new students to follow.
I think we must do a good job of selling the mentoring program to potential mentors and make it a selective process. It should be based on more than grade point average only, but should include the student's communication skills and general outlook on life and their educational experience with the institution. You might have students nominated by instructors who are very familiar with their talents. Of course, keen oversight by an instructor is also important. The mentor-student needs to feel like he/she has a good support system in place if they are getting "over their head" with a student's problems.
I don't have direct experience with peer mentoring, but the points you make, Paul, are good ones. Student mentors certainly should model the behavior the institution wants the new students to adopt.
This is a superb idea! I too have designed such a similar system in my class, where I allow my older students to tutor new students and in doing so I send them out with a letter of recommendation. This is a very good method for both parties.
I like your idea. We used to have continuous enrollment and in this situation there were always seasoned students and new students in every class. We went to two intakes a year and this has changed the dynamics. Some students enter and seem quite comfortable rather quickly, but others are apprehensive and uncomfortable. I've been thinking of trying to match certificate and diploma students for mentoring. Otherwise, we don't really have a system by which we could provide mentoring for students. Do you think everyone should have mentoring?
It's always scary to make a blanket "everyone should" statement, but there are many forms/levels of mentoring. It just makes sense to use students to support others. How you do that is open to your culture and your needs.
