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College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES

Peer Mentor Program Information

 

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Purpose: As a peer mentor, you will help support incoming students as they begin their time at The Ohio State University and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. You will mentor the students on how to navigate the University resources and places, help to strengthen their connection to faculty, staff, and other students, introduce them to co-curricular activities, serve as a role model, and give advice when needed.  You serve as one of the student's first connections to the University and help them navigate their first semester. 

Groups: When serving as a peer mentor, you will have the opportunity to be involved with students who are in one of the following groups: students beginning their freshmen year, transfer students who are coming from other institutions, students transitioning from another OSU campus and/or college, and students who wish to pursue the honors program. You will be able to indicate your preference on the application for which group you'd like to be involved in.

From here, you will be given 4-5 mentees to work with over the autumn semester. You will check in with them weekly, help them navigate the campus, class scheduling, developing yearly plans, etc., but most of all you will be their first peer contact at OSU and someone they will look to for guidance.

Application and Interview: To apply to be a peer mentor, fill out the online application listed below. Upon the closing date, applications will be reviewed and potential candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please allow us time to complete this process as it takes significant time to view review applications and conduct interviews. 

Training: As a peer mentor, you will have the opportunity to get to know your fellow mentors through trainings that take place in the spring (community building retreat, leadership training workshop, and autumn preparation meeting). Resources will be given to you that include a book and resource guide, which you will reference during your time as a peer mentor.

Class: New peer mentors, who are at full-time status on credit hours, will be asked to enroll in a 1 credit hour/1 day a week FAES 3000 Peer Mentor Leadership class. In a classroom/seminar setting, you will develop skills in leadership, student development, academic development, and community building while engaging constructively with aspects of identity and how identity shapes perspective. Peer mentors will learn how to teach fellow students about the opportunities at Ohio State, where to find resources on policies and procedures, and how to help them transition to college.

Learning goals of the class: 1.) Understand practical skills to be a successful mentor, 2.) Know how leadership plays a role in mentoring, and 3.) Become aware of what identity is, its importance, and how to engage with other identities.

Student responsibilities: graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. In-class activities and participation in discussion during class. Weekly self-reflections due each Monday about previous week. First year peer mentors: complete 2-3 page peer mentor philosophy. Second year peer mentors: facilitate at least 1 first-year peer mentor session.

Autumn time commitment: Peer mentors will be asked to, at a minimum, do the following during autumn semester:

  • Make contact with your mentees prior to the start of autumn semester.

  • Participate in Welcome Week activities with mentees including the CFAES Pre-Convocation

  • Assist mentees in finding resources, places, advisors, etc.

  • Attend FAES 1100 recitation class each week with mentees and help instructors with presentations, as needed.

  • Submit weekly mentor reports indicating your check-ins with mentees

  • Organize small social gatherings with mentee group.

  • Organize one Mentee Meet-Up for 10 new students.

 

Apply for the Peer Mentor Program

Applications Due January 15th, 2022