The Texas A&M University College of Engineering is recruiting 90 peer mentors to support the college’s first-year experience course - CLEN 181: Engineering Learning Community & Student Success Seminar.
Peer Mentors and CLEN 181
Beginning Fall 2020, the college added a peer mentor component to our CLEN 181: Engineering Learning Community & Student Success Seminar. The purpose of the seminar is to welcome first-year general engineering students to Texas A&M University and assist with their transition and integration into the college. Throughout the seminar, peer mentors play an important role in forming engineering community, fostering a supportive learning environment, and introducing first-year general engineering students to opportunities and resources that are available to them during their undergraduate career at Texas A&M University.
Benefits for Peer Mentors
- Great opportunity to share your knowledge and support students in general engineering
- Develop your communication skills and gain valuable leadership experience
- Make a difference in the first-year experience of 2,600 new general engineering students
- Receive compensation of $500 for the semester you serve as a peer mentor. This will be paid as a stipend through your student financial aid portal in October 2023.
Desired Characteristics for Peer Mentors
We are seeking engineering students who are:
- Interested in serving as a role model and peer mentor to advance the success of first-year students in general engineering
- Willing to form an engineering community and foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment
- Capable of relating to and developing classroom rapport with a diverse group of first-year general engineering students
- Knowledgeable about university/college opportunities and resources that would be useful to first-year students in general engineering
Peer Mentor Responsibilities
In accordance with standards established by the university’s Office for Student Success (OSS), CLEN 181 peer mentors are responsible for the following:
- Demonstrate the Aggie Core Values (Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless-Service) and uphold the Aggie Honor Code
- Develop rapport and a safe relationship with new students
- Assist individual students as needed, including following up with students who miss class and making referrals to appropriate resources for issues that are beyond your scope of expertise
- Meet 1-1 with each student in your section at least once in the semester
- Meet weekly with your instructor to coordinate and plan course components
- Collaborate with your instructor to create a learning contract related to your experience that provides you with developmental opportunities within the classroom and fulfills your goals as a peer mentor
- Commit to serving as a Peer Mentor for Fall 2023 in a 0-credit hour transition to a college course. Sections are composed of approximately 25 students and meet weekly for 50 minutes. Section times will be assigned based on your availability once you have registered for the Fall semester.
- Complete required Hullabaloo U training coordinated by the Office for Student Success (OSS).
- Hullabaloo U FYE Spring Training Session: You can choose from either April 23 or April 30 from 5-7 p.m. in the Rec Sports Complex. Food will be provided. This session aims to create community among peer mentors through leadership and team building activities. Sign-up for one of these spring training sessions here.
- Hullabaloo U FYE Summer Training Session: Summer training will be delivered online through Canvas, and is now available on your Canvas dashboard – titled “Hullabaloo U Peer Mentors (COMU-006-FACT)”. There are a total of six modules in the training. If you are a new Hullabaloo U Peer Mentor, you will be required to complete all modules; if you are a returning Hullabaloo U Peer Mentor, you will be required to complete the Introduction, Module 2 and Module 6. Training must be completed by August 21 (the first day of class).
- For information on Hullabaloo U training, refer to the OSS website.
- Attend a CLEN 181 Peer Mentor training session led by the College of Engineering on Friday, August 18 from 1-3 p.m. Training will be in ZACH 298. Peer mentors located on remote campuses (i.e., Galveston, McAllen, Engineering Academies) will meet locally as a group. Attendance is required. Students who cannot attend the training will be moved from our “active” peer mentor list to our “alternates” peer mentor list for CLEN 181. Please respond here to confirm your participation in the August 18 training session.
- Commit to working 3-4 hours per week in the Fall 2023 semester.
- Receive compensation of $500 for the semester you serve as a Peer Mentor. This will be paid as a stipend through your student financial aid portal in October 2023.
Minimum Requirements
Peer Mentors for CLEN 181 must meet the following minimum requirements:
- A current engineering student who has completed at least 24 credit hours by the end of the Spring 2023 semester at Texas A&M (in College Station, McAllen, Galveston) or through the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Blinn College-Bryan.
- Must be enrolled at the College of Engineering for the Fall 2023 semester.
- Undergraduate/graduate degree will not be completed prior to December 2023.
- Be in good academic standing, with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, and good disciplinary standing.
- Completion of required training workshops (for more info, see Peer Mentor Responsibilities)
The application cycle, to be considered as a peer mentor for the college’s First-Year Experience Course (CLEN 181) for fall 2023 is now closed. On August 7, we will start assigning peer mentors to specific sections of CLEN 181. Please monitor your email this summer for more information regarding the assignment process.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to play an important role in the success of our first-year engineering students. For additional information or questions, please contact Ms. Elizabeth Poprik at epoprik@tamu.edu.
Coordination Team for Our First-Year Experience Course
- Elissa Morris, Senior Lecturer, First-Year Engineering Program - elissam@tamu.edu (lead for Instructor questions)
- Elizabeth Poprik, Academic Advisor, Engineering Advising Services - epoprik@tamu.edu (lead for Peer Mentor questions)
- Laura Olivarez, Director, Engineering Advising Services - laura.olivarez@tamu.edu
- Andrea M. Ogilvie, Assistant Dean, Student Success - aogilvie@tamu.edu