Peer Mentor

What is Peer Mentoring?

Peer Mentoring is a form of mentorship that usually takes place between a person who has lived through a specific experience and a person who is new to that experience. In the case of Peer Mentoring in the First-Year Engineering Program (FEP), your Peer Mentor will be an upperclassmen Engineering student who will have experienced many of the challenges, obstacles, and experiences that await you. Your Peer Mentor will be a resource for you in the realms of FEP, College of Engineering, the University of Arkansas, college level academics, and the overall transition to college life.

 

What will we talk about?

Peer Mentor meetings will consist of some specific topics, typically ones that prove useful for most first-year students. These topics are geared towards helping you better transition not only academically to a university setting, but also professionally and socially.

But what if these topics aren't useful for you specifically? Then we encourage you to take charge of the conversation with your mentor. What do you want to know about FEP, the University of Arkansas, College of Engineering, of the college life in general? Do you know all the ways of bolstering your resume? Do you know when you should start including things such as internships, study abroad, or campus organization involvement? There are so many things you and your mentor can discuss, but it is up to you to make the most of this time together.

 

Example of Peer Mentor topics

  • Understanding Blackboard/UASuccess/UAConnect/Outlook/Other tips and tricks to the UofA online tools and apps
  • Interacting with instructor/professors: the benefits and when to start
  • Resume review
  • Study Abroad/Internship/Co-Op/Research
  • Keeping up with personal wellness and time management at college

 

Requirements for Peer Mentoring in FEP

Peer Mentoring is a required component of your GNEG course (1201/1111 in the Fall & 1111/1121 in the Spring). As such, your weekly meetings with your Peer Mentor will count as a grade towards your GNEG course. Failure to meet with your Peer Mentor will result in the loss of points that week, with each meeting being roughly a percentage point of your overall GNEG grade.

FEP and the College of Engineering place a lot of value in the Peer Mentoring program, as such we expect you to treat this opportunity with sincerity and respect. It might be a mandatory process, but it is one that we have seen work, when utilized effectively by students.

 

What if I have issues or concerns about my Peer Mentor?

If you are experiencing issues with your Peer Mentor or your meetings, please do not hesitate to contact the coordinator for the program, Chris Cagle. He oversees not only the Peer Mentors but also the placement and specifics of the process. He would be more than happy to discuss with you any concerns you have and help you reach a resolution.

If you have not heard from your Peer Mentor by the first week of classes in either the Fall or Spring semester, please first check your Spam Folder and then contact Chris Cagle immediately.

 

Coordinator

 Chris Cagle

Chris Cagle

Student Services Specialist

Phone: (479) 575-3631

Email: cagle@uark.edu