Peer Mentor Programs – On-Demand Training

Align Mentoring with University Strategic Plans to Increase Retention, Engagement and Graduation Rates

Peer mentors can have a significant impact on campus, providing students in the post-pandemic era with critical connection points that positively impact retention, student engagement, and graduation rates. Unfortunately, institutions may face challenges with securing the necessary resources peer mentoring programs require causing frustration, and an inability to measure impact. Aligning mentoring with university-wide priorities can act as a solution to providing potential resources and scaling up mentoring efforts in a greater capacity. 

Our expert presenters share data in alignment with the University strategic plan, metrics, key performance indicators and goals for a university-wide peer mentoring partnership initiative. Review recruitment strategies to engage campus-wide mentors and opportunities to support the institution’s overall recruitment and retention efforts. 

Transitioning from a grant-funded to an institution-funded initiative has resulted in significant increases in campus-wide retention, student engagement and graduation rates. You’ll be able to draw from their experience and success to create, improve and sustain mentoring initiatives at your own institution.

Topics Covered

As a result of attending this online training, you will be able to:

• Review the impact peer mentoring has made at one institution following a relaunch – gain data you can draw from and share to align with your institution’s strategic plan, metrics, key performance indicators and goals. 
• Review recruitment strategies that were used to engage mentors across the university for possible implementation elsewhere – create a campus-wide peer mentor program that will be more meaningful, tuned in and successful in engagement and retention efforts.
• Understand what mentoring can look like and why it is so important in student retention – help students gain points of connection and belonging, de-stigmatize help-seeking behaviors, work effectively with marginalized students, and fill in the gaps. 
• Utilize small, medium, and large mentoring initiatives to impact your peer mentoring programs – increase student retention, academic success, and student engagement across diverse student populations with a coordinated campus-wide effort. 
• Explore the numerous benefits of peer mentorship programs and all the different options for creating impactful programs – expand your scope to reduce barriers for students seeking help so they achieve their goals, transform their lives, and thrive. 

Presenters

Jordan DiPentima currently serves as Associate Director of New Student Transitions & Family Engagement at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton, Florida.
Click here for full bio.

Gabby Gibson currently serves as the Operations Coordinator for Florida Atlantic University’s New Student Transitions and Family Engagement Office.
Click here for full bio.