What is peer mentoring?

In a peer mentor program, an experienced student provides information, support, advice and encouragement to a less experienced student.

The mentoring relationship may involve tutoring, such as:

• helping students understand course material
• helping students prepare and study for quizzes, exams and projects
• helping students stay motivated
• helping students identify learning styles and improve study skills

And there is an additional "mentoring" component to the relationship, for example:

• it usually takes place outside of the classroom in an informal environment
• mentor and mentee exchange names and learn about each other
• mentees may bring up personal issues or challenges impeding academic success
• mentees may ask mentors about additional resources
• mentees may be seeking extra encouragement and understanding

Peer mentoring program at WNC

The WNC peer mentor program is fairly unique. It is based on a very successful model used by the City College of San Francisco, in which faculty members propose peer mentoring projects in their particular areas and then oversee those projects. A faculty sponsor (faculty member, counselor, program coordinator) designs his/her project to best meet the needs of a specific student population (class or collective group).

Here is an example of a "class project":

• a math instructor wants to increase the success rate of students in two sections of his Math 120 course

Here is an example of a "group project":

• the Coordinator of Disabled Student Services wants to increase the overall success rate of all students receiving services through her program

Once faculty sponsors have designed their projects and had them approved for funding by the peer mentoring program coordinators, they select students to work for them as peer mentors. These students have either successfully completed the course or have other experience that makes them good candidates to be peer mentors. The faculty sponsors supervise the peer mentors and in essence function as a mentor for the peer mentors.

Mentoring Circle

Structuring the program in this way forms a "mentoring circle" which produces powerful results. In this model, peer mentors help mentees become more successful students, which often results in peer mentors becoming better students themselves through applying the strategies they are sharing. Peer mentors also benefit from the on-going interaction and support of the faculty sponsor. Finally, when peer mentors communicate ideas and suggestions they have gleaned from mentee comments, it generates insights and supports faculty sponsors in making beneficial changes to courses and/or programs.

So, mentoring is really much more than just tutoring. It is also engaging and connecting with other people in a beneficially supportive way. It is this sense of engagement and connection that helps students find ways to keep moving forward toward completing their goals.