Transitioning into college life can be tough. For those who need a friend, tutor or advice about classes, the Office of African-American Affairs offers the Peer Advisor Mentoring Program for incoming black first-year and transfer students.
The program matches each new student with a peer advisor and organizes a variety of activities and events for the groups to attend together. Some of these activities help to ensure students will excel academically during their first year.
According to senior peer advisor Demetra Gibson, a fourth-year College student, an event called "Raising the Bar" is held every Sunday, during which peer advisors tutor advisees in different subjects. At the beginning of every semester, students who performed well in the previous semester are honored at a welcoming celebration.
Other events promote friendship and bonding between advisors and advisees.
"We have events like PA Love Day, where advisors and advisees come out and play games," Gibson said. "Peer advisors can decide to go eat dinner with their advisees and other things like that."
Fourth-year College student Claire Thomas recalled how she first became involved with the Peer Advisor Program.
"During my first-year summer orientation, Dean Sylvia D. Terry introduced me to my peer advisor at a resource fair because I happened to stop at her table," Thomas said. "So I was able to meet my peer advisor early. I was glad to know that there was someone who already knew who I was before I arrived at U.Va."
Gibson became involved with the program during her first year.
"I didn't come from America and I didn't know anyone when I came to U.Va," she said. "My peer advisor was very helpful to me with my adjustment to U.Va. In my second year, I applied for being a peer advisor because it was rewarding during my first year and I wanted to help others. I wanted to give back and make sure other students have just as good an adjustment as I had."
The role of the peer advisor in helping students adjust to University life is multi-faceted.
"As a peer advisor, my role is to be a mentor to incoming first-year and transfer students," Thomas said. "As our motto says, we lend a helping hand socially, academically and psychologically. We are there for our advisees in all aspects of their lives. If they are having difficulty making friends, if they are unsure on how to study for a test, if they do not know which class to enroll in, if they are feeling depressed, we are here to be an all-around guide to help ease their transition into life here at U.Va."
First-year College student Aida Bengussie said her peer advisor offered reassurance, helping her overcome the anxiety of deciding which classes to take.
Thomas explained that relationships between peer advisors and advisees differ depending on the students.
"It really depends on who the peer advisor and student is," Thomas said. "More often than not, it is friendship. Ideally, that's what it should be. As a friend, the relationship can lose its formality."
But the relationship has a slightly different feel than a friendship, she added.
"It may have more of a big-sister, big-brother feel because of the seniority of the peer advisor," Thomas said. "Depending on the age difference, some students might look up to the peer advisor as more of as role model than as a peer. In general, it is a partner relationship."
Benefits of the Peer Advisor Program do not extend only to advisees. The program is also a positive experience for peer advisors.
"One of the biggest benefits for me has been connecting with incoming students and advisors," Thomas said. "When I was a first-year, I didn't know who most of the fourth-years were. So I like that even though I'm a fourth-year, I'm still involved in the life of first-years and transfer students. I really love that aspect because they are going to be here when I have graduated, so I want to know who they are and help them avoid the mistakes I made."
Thomas added that other advantages of the Peer Advisor Program are the connections made between the peer advisors, a group of students with a wide variety of personalities and interests.
"I love connecting with my advisors, because a lot of the advisors are doing remarkable things on Grounds, like being presidents of an organization," Thomas said. "It has allowed me to meet people that I would not have normally crossed paths with, people from other spheres of U.Va."
The peer advisor program has the potential to help advisees all throughout their time at the University.
"I enjoy the connections you make through the program," Gibson said. "For example, I'm still friends with my first-year peer advisor, and she's helping me with my medical school application. Connections are made that will help advisees further themselves farther. I see my advisees from my second year doing well and becoming leaders in their organizations. It's good to see them doing well, and the program really encourages that."
The program has received praise not only from its participants; in 1999, the John Templeton Foundation labeled the program as an "exemplary first-year program" for character development.
"We want to foster pride and have the advisees feel that U.Va. is where they belong," Gibson said. "Our goal every year is to make sure that the incoming class has the best experience of any entering class in the history of U.Va"
Read More
It’s okay not to be okay
By Mai Hukuoka | 4 days agoWhether talking to a friend, a loved one or a professional, it is so necessary, and human, to need more than you can provide for yourself.
Taking a break at Tangerines Kitchen
By Charley Thomas | 6 days agoWhat the restaurant somewhat lacks in ambiance, it compensates for in tasty dishes and prompt service.
Virginia Policy Lab — a hub for student-led policy action
By Katherine Haden | December 9, 2024Students propose their own projects and collaborate with other members to research their issues of interest, brainstorm solutions and write policy proposals.
