First-Year Experience

Eagle-2-Eagle Peer Mentor Program

Please note:  Applicants interested in serving as Peer Mentors must also be Peer Leaders and participate in all aspects of the selection and training process for Peer Leaders.  For more information on the Peer Leader program, click here..

Overview

The Eagle-2-Eagle Peer Mentor program is a collaborative effort of the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement and First-Year Experience to provide additional support for students who, because of their high school GPA, are potentially at greater risk for academic difficulty at Georgia Southern.  Peer Mentors are Peer Leaders who take on the additional responsibility of working individually and in small groups with approximately eight to ten students to increase the likelihood that these students will be academically successful.  Peer Mentors are not tutors; they might be better described as “coaches” who monitor the progress of their “mentees.”  First-year students participate in this program voluntarily, so they should be receptive to the assistance that Peer Mentors provide.

Specific Responsibilities of the Peer Leader
  • Serve as a peer leader for FYE 1220.
  • Serve as a mentor for eight to 10 students (some of whom are in the mentor's FYE 1220) who have high school GPAs in the lower half of the incoming class (roughly below 3.10).  Specifically:
    • Assist with Operation Move-In.
    • Contact mentees prior to classes.
    • Contact students bi-weekly (i.e. phone, email, in person).  This communication will be documented on contact   sheets and will be turned into Student Leadership.
    • Plan two programs each month for mentees. These can include movie nights, athletic events, community service projects, and many other school-sponsored events. The Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement will also sponsor a program every month specifically for Eagle-2-Eagle participants.
  • Attend monthly meetings each semester to receive on-going training, to check in, and to share experiences.  These are scheduled for the first Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m.
  • Promote attendance at First-Year Experience Success Series events.
  • Meet with mentees outside scheduled orientation section
For questions about the Peer Mentor program, contact Leslie Larsen at 478-1435 or ll00425-gw@georgiasouthern.edu
Time Commitments
  • Attend eight hours of Peer Leader training and seven additional hours of training on Friday afternoons during Spring 2009. Training is scheduled for March 27, April 3, 17, 24, and May 1, 2-5 p.m.
  • Attend sessions of the orientation class during Fall 2009 (specific time commitments differ from section to section; see "Logistics of Peer Leading for FYE 1220")
    • Meet regularly with the instructor to prepare for class
    • Respond to student email or journals
  • Mentee responsibilities described above for Fall 2009.
  • In Spring 2010, monthly contact with mentees and participation in two programs sponsored by the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement.
Compensation
In addition to the volunteer credit that Peer Leaders receive, Peer Mentors will be paid a stipend of $100 in the Fall semester and $100 in the Spring semester.

Peer Mentors, Fall 2008

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