"Secret of Life" Fall 2008 Peer Mentors

Applications are being accepted for the Fall 2008 Peer mentorships. This year we will have two peer mentorships available.

Applications must be received by March 14th, 2008.

Peer mentors must be available for training the week before classes begin in the Fall. Housing is provided.

General Position Information
The peer mentor is a student staff member who provides leadership in the Secret of Life Learning Community in order to reduce the isolation many first-year students feel. Mentors assist in achieving the goals of the program which include

• Achievement
• increased capacity to succeed in diverse and challenging curricula
• develop community leadership skills
• Student Development
• increased career maturity
• develop a greater sense of personal well-being
• increased self-efficacy
• Supportive learning environment
• build a community, sharing common goals of scholarship and excellence
• develop cross cultural understanding

The Secret of Life Learning Community is a year-long program. We encourage junior and senior Genetics majors to apply for these mentorships.

First-year Peer Mentors
Individual Peer Mentor Responsibilities
Each peer mentor will be required to complete the following:
·        Meet with the learning community coordinator once a month.

• Spend 2 hours per week providing study support to the students.
• Assist learning community coordinator in planning field trips/site visits.
• Plan and participate in service learning projects with the learning community.

Peer Mentor Team Responsibilities
Secret of Life Learning Community peer mentors will have the following responsibilities:
·        Meet as a peer mentor team with the learning community coordinators once a month.
·        Arrange and participate in academic/social/leadership activities bi-weekly (e.g. study sessions, speakers, movie nights, etc.)
·        Help students become familiar with university resources; advise and refer residents to appropriate university resources, as the need arises

·        Plan and participate in spring service learning projects with the learning community (start planning in the fall)
·        Participate in training the week prior to the beginning of fall semester and throughout the semester as needed.

Peer Mentor Application Download (Word document)

 

If you have any questions about the peer mentorships, please contact either Jennifer Clair-Toy or Dr Jack Girton, at jjtoy@iastate.edu or bpatch@iastate.edu.