With our Peer Mentoring Program, we hope to create a platform upon which newly matriculated doctoral students can build a stable foundation of community and program interaction and knowledge.
As peer mentors, our most important role is to be a welcoming and positive presence for our new colleagues. We consider the ways in which our entry into the program could have been improved, and to see if we can find ways to ameliorate similar circumstances that our mentees might experience. At the core of the Peer Mentoring program is the idea that entering into a new community is easier when you know someone. And so, the Peer Mentoring program is built to give new students a friendly face to interact with when they enter a room full of unfamiliar people. If we can be that friendly face, we have done 90% of the job.
The other 10% is about providing information and directions. We'll be the people to introduce new students to the people and mechanisms that make the program work. Below are some important people, things and places to bring to the attention of new students:
As peer mentors, our most important role is to be a welcoming and positive presence for our new colleagues. We consider the ways in which our entry into the program could have been improved, and to see if we can find ways to ameliorate similar circumstances that our mentees might experience. At the core of the Peer Mentoring program is the idea that entering into a new community is easier when you know someone. And so, the Peer Mentoring program is built to give new students a friendly face to interact with when they enter a room full of unfamiliar people. If we can be that friendly face, we have done 90% of the job.
The other 10% is about providing information and directions. We'll be the people to introduce new students to the people and mechanisms that make the program work. Below are some important people, things and places to bring to the attention of new students:
* ETAP Office Staff: Scott Lawson, Barbara Brunner
* ETAP Faculty, chair * ETAP: office resources, computer lab * Coffee machines (between humanities and education buildings) and coffee shops (Jazzman’s, Argo, Starbucks) * Other helpful campus offices: Financial Aid Office, GSA Office, Parking * The basics of course planning - give advice on how to move through the program, what our experience has been, etc. * Provide info on grants, scholarships and other funding from the department * Make initial introductions to some other students, either in-person or electronically. |
The above list is just a start in our hope to build this program community into a vibrant and powerful association of academics. Our idea is to help broaden the availability of the community and to eliminate any barriers to interaction.