Peer Mentor Program

In the peer mentor program, upper-class students are paired with first-years, offering the benefit of their experience on the Whittier campus.PEER MENTOR/TUTOR PROGRAM

Peer Mentors and Peer Tutors at Whittier College are upper class students who work with the first-year students, helping them successfully transition to Whittier College and providing writing and general academic support. They begin the academic year working as orientation leaders during freshman orientation and then continue assisting their mentees for the entire first year.

Peer mentors and tutors are responsible for leading Freshman Orientation, assisting in the Freshman Writing Seminar and conducting the Poet to Poet Seminar (PTPS). In addition Peer Mentors meet with students outside of class formally and informally to talk with students about how to handle their first college year, manage their time, talk with professors, and navigate their social and academic life.

Peer Mentors can introduce first year students to college services, talk with them about roommate concerns, tell them how to best utilize their advisors, talk about living in the residence halls, making friends and how to join clubs or student government. Peer mentors attempt to establish relationships with their mentees very early on in the first semester and will continue to serve as a student mentor throughout their mentees' first year.

Peer tutors help students acclimate to the writing demands of college. They assist in all phases of the writing process, with the ultimate goal of helping the student develop successful, independent writing practice. Peer tutors attend the Freshman Writing Seminar, keep office hours for "drop in" help, can make individual appointments to work with students, and help conduct the Poet to Poet seminars.

Peer mentors and tutors are nominated by faculty and staff based on their academic achievements, level of maturity, trustworthiness, responsibility, and interpersonal skills. They go through a selection process and then training programs that involve a week of training prior to Orientation and they are also required to enroll in a one credit training course. Peer mentors take INTD 34: Peer Education Development, while peer tutors take INTD 33: Teaching Writing, during fall semester.

Peer Mentors Can:

  • Introduce students to college services
  • Introduce students to college activities, clubs and organizations
  • Help students understand and prepare for the academic and social demands of college life
  • Provide students with help with time management and communication with faculty and advisors
  • Help students develop a sense of community

Qualifications of a Peer Mentor/Tutor:

  • Achieved Academic success
  • Have demonstrated the qualities of trustworthiness, maturity and responsibility
  • Culturally sensitive
  • Open Minded
  • Involvement on Campus
  • Enthusiastic and have a positive attitude about the College, its students, faculty, staff, academic and co-curricular life
  • Commitment to encouraging students/mentees to achieve their goals and academic aspirations
  • Interest in performing an important service to the College and to the success of first year students
  • Working as a team member with other peer mentors, peer tutors, RAs and instructors

PEER MENTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Students who serve as Peer Mentors are required to enroll in a one credit course INTD 34 PEER MENTORSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP.  This will be taught by the First Year Dean.
  • Peer Mentors will be required to attend First Year Orientation and serve as Orientation Week Leaders (OWLS).  Peer Tutors will be encouraged, but will not be required to attend orientation.
  • Peer Mentors will be required to attend Freshman Writing Seminar with their first year students
  • Peer Mentors along with Peer Tutors will conduct a one hour seminar entitled, Poet to Poet Seminar that is linked to the FWS
  • Peer Mentors will be responsible for working with the RAs, organizing the Living and Learning Community activities

POET-TO-POET SEMINAR

  • The seminar will provide opportunities for peer mentors to work on transition issues with students.
  • The seminar will provide opportunities for freshmen to discuss issues of time management, study skills, health habits and management of finances with our more successful students.
  • The seminar is a venue for Student Life programming such as alcohol education, diversity, citizenship, service learning.  
  • The First Year Dean will meet and interact with each First Year group during this seminar.
  • The seminar will provide a consistent tutoring experience for students
  • The Peer Mentoring and Tutoring seminar will provide a link to the Living Learning Communities.
  • The Seminar will provide an opportunity for students to develop a relationship with their Peer Mentors and Peer Tutors.