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LIFE Mentor
LIFE Mentors are academic personnel, including faculty and professional staff, who are involved in the academic mission of the University. LIFE Mentors work with a Peer Mentor (see below) to ensure freshmen students receive an organized, coherent, and positive experience. LIFE Mentors are not responsible for the day-to-day conduct of the LIFE class, nor for directly supervising the Peer Mentor. Rather, they guide, assist, and serve as a resource for the Peer Mentor as he or she assumes responsibility for the class.
Peer Mentor
Peer Mentors are upper-class undergraduate students who meet a required 2.8 grade point average and are involved in a variety of organizations and activities on campus. In most cases, Peer Mentors have a major, relevant to the theme/academic major of their respective cluster. The Peer Mentor is responsible for the academic quality and tone of the First Year Experience of all students in the LIFE Program. Peer Mentors teach University 101/102, assists students in forming study groups, helps organize a final cluster project, invites quest speakers relevant to the cluster's theme, as well as spends time interacting with the students on an informal basis.
LIFE Mentor - General Responsibilities
Our experience indicates that the level of involvement and, thus the time commitment varies from Mentor to Mentor. Some LIFE Mentors enjoy their experience immensely and go well beyond the minimal time commitment. Other Mentors find that their day-to-day professional responsibilities prohibit them spending as much time as they like with their Peer Mentor's cluster. It is important to remember this experience is promoting and fostering leadership development for the Peer Mentors. We suggest LIFE Mentors try to devote between 6 - 8 hours a semester to this responsibility.
These hours can be divided into five basic areas:
1. Before the beginning of the semester, all LIFE Mentors and Peer Mentors should meet to begin discussion a plan of action for the upcoming semester.
2. Meet once each month (September, October, and November) with the students in the LIFE Cluster and assist the Peer Mentor in leading class discussion on that day.
3. Be available for occasional e-mails or phone calls from the Peer Mentor and, even less frequently from the students in the LIFE Cluster.
4. Assist in the planning and development in the Cluster's final project.
5. Attend LIFE Fest (held on Reading Day) to support your Cluster and to view other Cluster's projects. (See last years projects, Click here)
More detailed examples of LIFE Mentor Possibilities
Meet with the Peer Mentor
- Help the Peer Mentor maintain an academic atmosphere in UNIV 101
- Provide guidance for the academic content of UNIV 101
- Provide direction for the collaborative learning climate of UNIV 101
- Identify guest speakers; assist with invitation, if necessary
- Suggest content-based activities
- programs
- projects
- other activities
- Suggest campus, community, and professional resources to support first-year students
- Study Abroad
- Service-learning
- summer research
- internship opportunities
Attend LIFE Cluster meetings and other activities or events
- Lead discussion on a prepared topic (discussed between the Peer Mentor and LIFE Mentor)
- Observe Peer Mentor's class management; offer constructive feedback if necessary
- Campus speakers or events geared towards first-year students
- Parents weekend for first-year students
- LIFE Fest
Be available for interaction with Peer Mentors and LIFE students
- Set a regular schedule (e.g., every other week) to touch base with your Peer Mentor to ensure a smooth semester.
- Make certain Peer Mentors are aware of when you would like to attend class.
- Make LIFE students feel comfortable in calling or e-mailing you. This won't happen often, but when it does, it will be important, as they are usually trying to reach out for help.
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