Program Spotlight
John Jay College of Criminal Justice SASP Peer Mentoring Program Spotlight Award for Research and Assessment The SASP Peer Mentoring Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice develops student leaders who are dedicated to supporting the transition and the personal, academic, and professional growth of their peers. They guide freshman, sophomore, and transfer students to identify and engage with John Jay College’s justice mission and succeed on their academic journey. With its inception in 2011, the SASP Peer Mentoring Program targeted support to freshmen, the population most obviously in need of adjusting to a new environment. After its initial success, support expanded to transfer students, another population with unique needs as they transition to a new college. Most recently, in 2013, the program expanded its services yet again to include support for sophomores–a population moving through a critical time of decision-making in their academic journey, yet often overlooked. To support freshmen transition even before the first class, peer mentors utilize the connective power of phone calls. Friendly and knowledgeable upperclassman conduct proactive phone outreach to incoming students to provide individualized support and to answer questions about the next steps in the admissions process. With our streamlined approach to phone outreach, peer mentors are able to make an average of 6,000 calls every summer. Once students arrive in the fall, peer mentors support the personal, academic, and professional growth of their caseload of 50–75 “mentees.” Because the program is uniquely housed under Academic Affairs, peer mentors work closely with faculty and are integrated with courses that are designed for freshman and transfer transition. This essential integration provides a well-defined population as well as faculty support for the peer mentors. During their weekly class visits, peer mentors model the behaviors of successful students. They inform students of upcoming college deadlines and opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. Faculty are also made aware of the variety of student development resources through their peer mentors. 18