[Stuorg-adv] Apply to be a mentor to an incoming freshman!

[Tabetha J Adkins]

To apply: http://bit.ly/FYTRAC

[cid:7B92E315-2435-47C4-8E6E-D18B8A08D8DA]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why are we starting a freshman mentor program?

 The University College is launching a campus-wide effort toward creating an aligned, memorable, and innovative experience for first-time freshman students in the Fall. When first-time full-time students join us at orientation this summer, they will learn about our new First-Year TRAC (Transforming Relationships and Academic Connections), the guiding force behind our retention effort.

What is the First Year TRAC?

 The First-Year TRAC (Transforming Relationships and Academic Connections) has been designed to help ensure freshman success by aligning academic and engagement efforts to retain first-year students.

 As part of the First-Year TRAC, students will:

  *   Attend New Student Orientation
  *   Attend Lion Camp
  *   Participate in a mentor group
  *   Take a Signature Course with a distinguished professor
  *   Read the University’s Book in Common
  *   Attend First-Year TRAC events on campus

What will the mentors do?

 The piece of the TRAC that holds it all together is the mentor groups. Each mentor group will serve 25 students, and based on our current enrollment predictions, we are planning for 48 mentors. These mentors are paid undergraduate students who will be trained to help us:

  *   Deliver student-success content like goal setting, time management, note taking, study skills, et cetera
  *   Help create cohorts within the freshman class
  *   Help guide students to resources on campus
  *   Deliver content for a book all freshmen will be required to read
  *   Guide students to First-Year TRAC events put on by various offices

Mentors will lead “houses” that will be named for important historical campus figures. These houses will help connect us to our university’s history but also help create new traditions.

What training and support will I receive if I become a mentor?

There will be three different kinds of support provided to you:

  1.  As the leader of your Mentor House, you will be grouped with other Mentors who will become a source of information and support for you. Together your group will become a Neighborhood.

  2.  Each Neighborhood will have a University Staff member assigned to be your Neighborhood Leader. This Neighborhood Leader is a higher education professional who has expertise in student success strategies.

  3.  Ongoing training:

  *   We would like to have an initial meeting for mentors prior to the end Spring semester.
  *   The first formal training session for new mentors will be August 15 and 16.
  *   There will be additional training sessions throughout the year.

How will I be compensated?

 We are still working to determine what our budget will be, so the dollar amount per hour has not yet been established. We can ensure that it will be more that minimum wage.

How much time is required?

We anticipate you will work ten hours each month with additional time needed to answer questions or address concerns from your mentees. …

What are other advantages to serving as a mentor?

  *   Excellent experience to list on your resume
  *   An opportunity to be an engaged campus citizen
  *   An opportunity to bond with and get to know the class of 2021
  *   A campus job that is flexible
  *   Teaching and mentoring experience

 Where can I find more information?

 You can visit the University College’s Mentor Groups website at http://www.tamuc.edu/academics/UniversityCollege/mentorgroups or e-mail FirstYearTRAC at tamuc.edu<mailto:FirstYearTRAC at tamuc.edu>.

Tabetha Adkins, PhD
Dean of the University College
Associate Professor of Literature & Languages
Tabetha.Adkins at tamuc.edu
P.O. Box 3011 | Commerce, TX 75429-3011
Tel. 903.886.5876
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