Just last week, a group of new SSMs (Student Success Mentors) completed their training and are now ready to start working with first year students this coming Fall. Their training led by Ellen Quish and Sada Jaman from the Center for Teaching and Learning and with the support of us all ePortfolio consultants as well as from colleagues from student affairs covered many areas, from working the ins and outs of Digication, to assessment and its importance for the college, to learning in the disciplines.

This group of mentors is crucial to how the first year seminar is expanding across departments. This last Spring semester, two departments, Natural Sciences and Business and Technology had first year seminar courses taught by their faculty and this coming Fall, Health Sciences and Liberal Arts will join in. The new freshmen seminar contemplates three key components: college 101, introduction to the discipline, and integrative support which includes co-curricular activities and the introduction of ePortfolio during the studio hour and led by peer mentors.

One key aspect I’d like to highlight regarding the work peer mentors will do is the partnership with faculty. Each will meet regularly with the faculty member to ensure that the goals of the seminar are being addressed and met in the studio hour. Peer mentors will take the lead during the studio hour (1 hour weekly) relying on their expertise in being a successful student and sharing their experience and strategies on how to make it through the college journey. The reason why I value this particular aspect of their work is because working with faculty will certainly help them advance in their careers and develop their leadership skills as well.

I’ll keep writing about this and more exciting experience this coming Fall.