Major Mentor Improvement Plan Mentor: Lindsay Jespersen Group Members: Luis Pe単a Ochoa, Sydney Verrastro, Anne West, Jess Keller, Kaylee Wichert, Haley Slaughenhoupt, Thomas Adams, Renae Jackson, Nadia-Amy Kambarami, Anjeli Jackson
The Current Major Mentor Directory
No specific qualifications necessary Mentors must complete a Blackboard quiz Mentees contact mentors through email Emphasized in Exploratory programs
Areas to Address Inaccessible through Flashline Staff recommendation only Lack of advertising Low interest level in becoming a mentor/mentee
Our Improvements Expand beyond Exploratory Students Focus also on students who have already declared a major
Link website to Flashline Make the Directory more easily accessible to all students
Professor Recommendation Promote the program Inform all students about the program Motivate more students to utilize it
Similar Programs at Other Colleges Youngstown State University
●Students are connected to a peer mentor at orientation ●Avg. GPAs:
○ Students with 0 visits w/ mentor: 2.67 ○ Students with 5+ visits: 3.07
University of Michigan
●Students are connected to mentors based on similar academic interests, extracurricular activities, and/or career goals ●Program has been around 25 yrs.
Similar Programs at Other Colleges California University of Pennsylvania ●600-700 students volunteer to be a mentor each year ●Most mentors: ○ Find their experience enjoyable ○ Return each year ○ Encourage protégés to become mentors if eligible ●About 60% of the freshmen class signs up for a mentor ●Freshmen move on to their sophomore year at about a 13% higher rate
Benefits to Students 50% - 70% of students change their major at least once Learn more about different majors Get insider information
Help navigating Kent State life Recognize a familiar face
Improvement in GPA
Significant improvement shown at other schools with similar programs
Would you find having a mentor helpful?
Benefits to Mentors Leadership experience Improve communication skills Practice professional etiquette
Possible course credit Resumé builder Recognition Certificates and awards “Mentor of the Month”
Networking opportunities Opportunities for mentors to work with faculty members.
Getting involved on campus
Survey Results Student input on what mentors could be helpful for:
Survey Comments “I am always asking people who have taken the course before about what to expect. To actually have a mentor would be very helpful.” -Junior Nursing Major “I think that this would be extremely helpful to have someone who's recently been in your shoes to give advice as well as a person you can go to with questions and have a genuine [response].” -Freshman Psychology Pre-Medicine Major “...I am an upperclassmen myself. I do think that Mentor programs are beneficial to lowerclassmen students, and at this point in my college experience, would be interested in being one myself.” -Junior English Major
Potential Advertising ● Informational email and program ● Advisor promotion ● Destination Kent State ● Welcome Weekend ● First Year Experience ● Info page on KSU Website ● Access through Flashline ● Include mentor contact information on Roadmaps
Further Steps to Take... ● Flashline link ● Spread the word to students through advertising ● Inform academic advisors about the program ● Mentors for future KSU students
Thank You