Peer Mentors

To support new students as they acclimate to the college environment, our department offers a Peer Mentoring program to match incoming freshmen and transfers with an experienced upperclass student. Each spring, interested upperclassmen volunteer to tutor a new student in the fall. Our department is delighted to report that, each year, there have been more volunteer mentors than freshmen! The program has quickly grown from a pilot program of 22 students to a major student group with over 70 participants.

Over the summer, mentors are given the contact information for their assigned students. In the fall, a pizza party kickoff brings students and mentors together. Mentors are then asked to meet with their mentees at least once a week for the first four weeks of class and at least monthly for the duration of the year. Mentors provide a terrific source of peer advice on classes, clubs and how to get the most out of the many DelVal resources. The entire mentor program assembles again in mid-winter, typically for a spagetti dinner at the home of Dr. Fortier, right off campus. Last year, the mentors put their mentees to shame in a vigorous "Pictionary" contest. Stay tuned to see whether the former mentees can avenge themselves in this year's tournament.