Leveraging Peer Mentors to Increase Sense of Belonging & Persistence

J.L. Vertin

Liberal Arts Instructional Coordinator

jl.vertin@doane.edu

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Quint Geis

Director of Career, Leadership & Service

quinton.geis@doane.edu

Blake Tobey

Assistant Director of the Academic Success Center

blake.tobey@doane.edu

The Situation:

• Doane University is the oldest liberal arts university in Nebraska, located in Crete, NE.
• Residential campus that welcomes 250-300 first year students annually, (95% are scholarshipped with Athletics & Fine and Performing Arts)
• Students are highly involved on campus with employment and leadership opportunities
• Many new students come in undeclared and work to declare within their first semester on campus

Transition to College Measures with peer mentors:

• 3-credit required FYS course (LAR 101) - capped at 18 students and include a peer leader
• Tiger Takeoff - 7-10 day extended orientation consisting of 3-4 hours per day of programming for first year students focusing on academic and transition-to-college skills.
• Orientation groups organized by LAR 101 classes
• Summer Enrollment Days
• Peer Leader and Orientation Leader
• Peer mentor carries into FYS course
• Tiger Peer Mentors meet with Mentees 1 hour per week for the first semester

The Comprehensive Plan:

First Year Experience centered on 7 Dimensions of Wellness

First Year Student

Bridge Program

New Student Orientation

LAR 101 Labs

LAR 101 Course

Student Services

Extracurricular Activities

Advising

Second Year Student

Tiger Takeoff Structure: (piloted in 2022)

• Student Population: 54-57% of entire first year class
• Required: Conditionally Admitted and Fall Sport Athletes
• Encouraged: First Generation and Out of State
• Small Group Class Session: Students will either take Tiger Takeoff Programming from 10am- 11:50am or 1pm - 2:50pm in two 50-minute blocks. Students will be writing every day!
• Additional programming will include a daily physical activity (led by students/staff) DEI programming, and 1st Gen programming.
• Large Group Evening Session Guest speaker with a specific message in “sit and get” in the large auditorium .
• Evening Social Event: Each evening would conclude with an optional social event that is sponsored by an office on campus.

New Student Orientation Structure:

• Four Day Fall Orientation schedule
• Ceremonies, community building, resources sharing, educational sessions, entertainment focused programs, group meetings
• For all new students, portion of schedules are required
• Orientation groups are cohorted by their First Year seminar course
• 1st LAR Class happens during Fall Orientation
• Lead by two OLs, one of which is also a Peer Leader for 1st semester
• Crete community tour at local park and downtown
• Student leaders take on significant responsibilities to facilitate programming and schedule

LAR 101: Introduction to Inquiry

• LAR 101 instructors are full-time faculty or qualified staff that also serve as academic advisors
• Peer Leaders serve dual role: Mentor to the 18 students in the FYS course and TA for the instructor.
• LAR Labs: One-credit course meeting weekly taught by members of the advising staff.
• All LAR 101 Students take CliftonStrengths assessment, utilized in both the 3-credit LAR 101 course and the lab.

Peer Mentoring + Teaching Assistant = Peer Leader

• Description of role:
• TA role determined by faculty; additional points of contact for retention
• Selection process
• Faculty identify - highlight who LAR 101 faculty are
• Work with NSO for faculty that need them
• Student schedule is limiting factor
• Training
• Faculty/PL workshop
• OL/PL -standard
• Ongoing weekly group meetings with other Peer Leaders and Director of Advising��See Peer Leadership Roles handout for more details

Peer Leaders have helped in the transition:

• Mid-term Survey - 74% of all first year students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement:�My LAR 101 Peer Leader has been helpful in my transition to Doane as a student.
• End of Semester Survey - 83% of all first year students agreed or strongly agreed to the following statement:�My LAR 101 Peer Leader (TA) was a helpful resource in adjusting to meeting academic expectations.

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Orientation Leaders & Directions Mentors

• Model of each group
• OL’s serve the all new students during New Student Orientation
• Directions Mentors serve mentor around 40 students in selective leadership cohort
• Role within mentorship
• Sprinters vs Long Distance
• Training
• Four day training sessions
• Two evening training sessions and on going
• Assessment Points
• On average, over a five year period 97% of students said “The Orientation staff were informative and helpful to me throughout the week.”
• Mentor Reflection- “The key to her problem solving is helping me solve a problem, not solving it herself”

Tiger Peer Mentors

• Role
• Sophomore-Senior students are paired with pre-identified first-semester students with additional obstacles that are in similar majors, extracurricular involvement, and/or demographics
• Weekly in-person meetings with scaffolded, structured agendas & interventions
• Selection Process
• Prioritize hiring a representative cross-section of campus demographics and involvement with special considerations to at-promise groups like TRIO
• Mentees self-select Mentor strengths, involvement and demographics for pairing
• Multiple interactions during Tiger Take Off to build relationships
• Training
• Week-long intensive training during Tiger Takeoff includes Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Mentorship, QPR Suicide Prevention, Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP), Campus Resources, Financial Interventions, Goal Setting, etc…
• Ongoing training at weekly Team Meetings during first semester

TRIO Retention Data:

*Tiger Mentorship Program moves to include all TRIO & Conditionally-Admitted Students

**Tiger Mentorship Program assists Tiger Take Off

October Survey of all first year students:

Sense of Belonging:

• I feel accepted for who I am: 80%
• My LAR 101 Peer Leader has been helpful in my transition to Doane as a student. 74%
• I have been able to establish connections with students outside of my sport/activity: 78%
• I have (or intend to) become involved with an activity or organization that I had not originally planned when I first came to Doane: 56%

More Survey Data:

Wellness: (October Survey)

• I am comfortable handling adversity: 81%�
• I am engaging in behaviors to enhance my wellness: 74%

Academic: (End of Semester Survey)

• My LAR 101 Peer Leader was a helpful resource in adjusting to meeting academic expectations. 83%

Retention Data for all first year students:

What’s worked

• Collaboration
• Partnerships between New Student Orientation, FYS Coordinator, and Advising
• Tiger Takeoff Committee structure �
• Gaining Buy-in
• Presidential Buy-in
• Athletics
• Faculty/Staff�
• Intentionality around recruitment, roles and responsibilities for peer mentors

Now that things are going well…

Now that things are going well…

Why WOULDN’T we just blow it up?

Tiger Takeoff + New Student Orientation =

• 7 day event, all new students
• 2 hours of required Tiger Takeoff classroom sessions each day (either at 10am or 1pm)
• Targeted Support Programming (international, conditional admitted, First Gen, etc.)
• Evening group sessions with LAR group and speaker/facilitator with all students for an hour
• An optional social activity each evening to conclude the day
• Continued Campus Traditions

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Welcome Week

Next Steps

• Enhanced/revised roles and responsibilities for peer mentors
• Tier 1/ Tier 2
• Combined Training
• Streamline resources
• Budget
• Campus Partners
• Two impactful groups during Welcome Week
• Coverage of first year students beyond the first semester
• Encouraging us to map outcomes, point of time resources

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Any Questions?

Quint Geis

Director of Career, Leadership & Service

quinton.geis@doane.edu

Blake Tobey

Assistant Director of the Academic Success Center

blake.tobey@doane.edu

J.L. Vertin

Liberal Arts Instructional Coordinator

jl.vertin@doane.edu

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