Date of Award

Spring 5-5-2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Biological Sciences

First Reader

Tricia Kennedy

Second Reader

Claire Robinson

Abstract

Peer mentoring programs have been shown to be successful at universities across the country. This present paper proposes the creation of a peer mentoring program within the South Carolina Honors College. This program has been designed to enhance the first-year experience for incoming Honors College freshmen by pairing them with an upperclassmen student mentor that can help guide them through their first year and beyond. The role of these mentors would be to provide valuable guidance for students on how to be successful as a student of the Honors College and the University of South Carolina. This mentoring program aims to foster both emotional and academic growth for SCHC students by providing a resource to find answers to any questions they may have or to point them in the right direction if they are not able to answer questions themselves. Mentors would spend a semester in training for Peer Leadership, where they would complete training with many offices across campus, such as Diversity and Mental Health training, as well as learn about all of the resources the University of South Carolina has to offer its students and where to find them. Mentors would be matched with incoming freshmen Honors College students in early fall in order to allow time to get to know their mentees and foster trust and confidence. Students wishing to become mentors would apply fall of their sophomore year and go through an interview process with Honors College staff to be selected and enrolled in the spring training class. This program aims to solve the dilemma that many freshmen have when looking for advice, having a person to turn to who is welcoming, unintimidating, and on the same level as a college student.

First Page

1

Last Page

34

Rights

© 2016, Kylie Anna Stevens

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