Best-Practices Webinar Series

The Power of Near-Peer Mentoring:Supporting your First Generation

and Underserved Students

Panelists

Michelle WellmanDirector of Access Center Colorado State University

Shontay Delalue KingDirector of Intercultural CenterBryant University

Joseph ColonAssistant Director of Multicultural AffairsJohns Hopkins University

Moderator: Alexandra EconomouDirector of Partner RelationsCenter for Student Opportunity

Colorado State University

The Dream Project

A student-initiated high school outreach program that connects CSU students with first-generation and low-income students in Fort Collins area high schools to assist in the college admissions process, including: SAT prep, applications, writing essays, applying for financial aid, and finding scholarships.

1. To give these college-bound high school students the assistance they may not receive at home or elsewhere

2. To simultaneously teach CSU students about educational opportunity and social mobility and examine these ideas in the context of Colorado State University

Dual Focus

Fast Facts

•History: Began in 2008 under the leadership of Jim Rawlins; based on the model at University of Washington, Seattle

•Optional participation

•Response Rate: about 80% of eligible high school students participate

•Mentor: Mentee Ratio – 1:2

•Average Time Commitment: 2-4 hours/week

Who are Dream Scholars?

•High school students attending Fort Collins area high schools

•First-Generation, multicultural and/or underserved students

•Must be nominated by high school counselors

•66 scholars in 2011

Who is the Dream Team?

• 34 Students currently enrolled at CSU

• Students who have already demonstrated leadership on campus

• Students who went through the program the previous year

• Have successfully completed a background check

• Gone through a rigorous application and interview process

How are they paired?

Similarity in:

1. Gender

2. Ethnicity

3. Life Experiences

Activities

•Essay writing

•SAT preparation classes

•Signature events

•Admissions weekends at CSU

•1-on-1 with your CSU mentor

Best Practices

1. Dream Team Training

2. “For Students, By Students”

3. Learning from Others

#1: Dream Team Training

•A two-hour weekly class taught by Professor Blane Harding

•Use a syllabus and workbook

•Course Credit

Workbook & Syllabus

#2: For Students, By Students

“We believe in providing vehicles for student leadership and engagement.”

Created for students, by students:

• 100% Volunteer

• 95% Student-Run

Student Leadership Chart

ExpansionClassroomInteraction Administration Community

Development External

CommunicationHigh School Interaction

• CSU Classroom

• TA Experience

• Guest Speakers

• Articles

• Discussions

• Workshops

• Think Tank• Communicate opportunities to engage through: Website Updates Announcements Facebook E-mails• Mentor Recruitment• Signature Events• Retreats

• Social Events

• Chipotle Fridays

• Volunteer Opportunities

• “Community-in-waiting”

• Development

• Partnerships

• Newsletter

• Budget

• Grant Writing

• Expansion into new high schools

• Expansion into other universities

• Promotional Materials

• High School Lead Meetings

• Coordinate High School Visits

• FAFSA Nights

• Scholar Recruitment

#3: Learning From Others

Bringing the success of University of Washington to CSU

CSU 2010 CSU 2011 UW 2010

Dream scholars 18 66 457

Dream team 14 35 207

High Schools/Programs

1 school 2 school 16 schools & programs

Money Raised $0 $1,670 $351,000

Enrolled in Higher Education

12 TBD n/a

Enrolled at CSU 6 TBD n/a

Things to Consider

1. Recruitment as the Byproduct, Not the Goal

2. Teaching Professionalism

#1: Recruitment as Byproduct

NOT THE GOAL!

Last year, one third of the Dream Scholars matriculated at CSU (6 of 18 students)

BUT

The Dream Team helps Dream Scholars attend ANY college of their choice. It is about what is right for the Scholar, not CSU.

#2: Teaching Professionalism

1. Attention to detail and specificity of thought and language

2. Prompt response to communication

3. Attendance that is both on-time and reliable

Bryant University

4MILE

A Peer Mentoring program for domestic and international students of color designed to give them a ‘sense of belonging’ on a predominantly white campus.

4 – 4 years at Bryant University

M – Multicultural

I – International

L – Leadership

E – Experience

Four Pillars

C - Culture

A – Academics

P – Personal Growth

S – Social Development

Who are the Mentees?

125 first year students who represent various cultural backgrounds.

The program is required for international students and strongly recommended for domestic students of color.

Who are the Mentors?

• 32 Current Bryant University students

• Completed Application

• Successful interview process

• Many are graduates of the program

Fast Facts

• History: Founded 10 years ago, originally as an orientation

for international students

• Staffing: Intercultural Center Staff, student mentors, and

volunteer faculty and staff from across campus

• Mentor:Mentee Ratio – 1:5

• Parent/Family Component: During the program week

•Response Rate: Majority of people invited to attend do

Key Components

• Mentor Hiring Process

• Summer Outreach

• Week-long intense program

• Fall and Spring Activities

• Year-long Mentoring

Best Practices

1. Integrating International and Multicultural Students

2. Requiring a Year-Long Commitment

#1: Integration

• Shared experiences amongst underrepresented groups

• Ability to address issues of race

• Cost-Effectiveness relative to outcomes

Source: At Home in the World: Bridging the Gap Between Internationalization and Multicultural Education by Christa L. Olson, Rhodri Evans, Robert Shoenberg, American Council on Education, 2007.

#2: Requiring a Year

•Address transition needs beyond the first week of school

•Adequate time to build relationships between staff and students

•Develop leaders for the upcoming year

Something to Consider

• Hiring mentors with integrity

• Dispelling the ‘Clique’ Myth

Recommended Reading:“Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”: And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum

Johns Hopkins University

MAPP

MAPP (Mentoring Assistance Peer Program) focuses on the first year experience by supporting underrepresented freshmen at Hopkins. The program is designed to enhance and develop underrepresented students through several levels of involvement.

Targeted Areas of Support

• Academic Support

• Career Development

• Multicultural education/programming

• Service Learning/Community Service

• Social programming

Fast Facts

•History: Began in 1992 by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) to support African American, Hispanic/Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans and improve retention

• Optional Participation

•Mentor: Mentee Ratio: 1:5

• Oversight: Leadership Team (5 Veterans) and Assistant Director

Who are MAPP Mentees?

• 165 Domestic (US) and International Freshmen - African American, Hispanic/Latinos, Native American, and Asian/Pacific Islander, etc.

• Made a 1 year commitment and participate in monthly programming (Social, Community Service, Cultural, Academic)

MAPP

MAPP (Mentoring Assistance Peer Program) focuses on the first year experience by supporting underrepresented freshmen at Hopkins. The program is designed to enhance and develop underrepresented students through several levels of involvement.

Who are the Mentors?

• 40-45 upper classmen

• Leaders on campus

• Academically successful

• Selected after a Group Interview and then Individual Interviews

• Trained on diversity topics and effective counseling

How are they paired?

• Major

• Online Questionnaires

Best Practices

1. Bi-Monthly MAPP Mentor Meetings (Mandatory)

2. Semester Program Evaluations

3. Student Committees

#1: Mandatory Meetings

Bi-Monthly Meetings

• 1st meeting of the month: In-service training/Mentor-mentee attendance

• 2nd meeting of the month: Business meeting/Cohort Family programming development

#2: Evaluation

• Interactions between mentors and mentees

• Accessibility of Mentor

• Mentee Participation

• Programming Opportunities

• Overall value of MAPP

• Suggestions for improvement

Conducted at the end of every semester

#3: Student Committees

Committees: Must plan 1 large and 1 small scale event a semester

Targeted committees enhance programming opportunities• Social Programming Committee• Diversity Committee • Academic Committee• Community Service Committee• Selections Committee

Things to Consider

1. Data Collection – It can be hard to get

2. Faculty Buy-In for programming – Again, it can be hard to get

#1: Collecting Data

It can be hard because:• Students have short attention spans• Small return• Everything is now done online

It helps to:• Keep questions short and sweet• Measure their engagement (eg. How many MAPP programs have you attended?)• Create an incentive program for returns (eg. Catered dinner for cohort family)• Though online is easiest, have hard-copy evaluations available• Give immediate feedback to mentors (They can improve tactics immediately)

#2: Get Faculty Buy-In

It can be hard because:• Faculty can be fickle, even if they want to get involved• Faculty schedule does not coincide with student

schedules• Faculty need expectations in writing

It can help to:• Get student references for dynamic faculty• Invite new faculty involved• Keep your requests small

Contact Information

Michelle WellmanColorado State UniversityDirector of Access Centermichelle.wellman@colostate.edu(970) 988-4569

Shontay Delalue KingBryant UniversityDirector of Intercultural Centersdelalue@bryant.edu(401) 232-6448

Joseph ColonJohns Hopkins UniversityAssistant Director, Multicultural Affairscolon@jhu.edu(410) 516-8730

Alexandra EconomouCenter for Student OpportunityDirector of Partner Relations & Outreachaeconomou@csopportunity.org(301) 363-4226