On-Line Summer Peer Mentoring : g Keeping the Connection from - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

On-Line Summer Peer Mentoring : g Keeping the Connection from Summer Orientation to Welcome Weekend Presented at the Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience Orlando, FL ~ February 9, 2009 F From new student… d …to successful graduate. Presented by: Christy Metzger In collaboration with: Sarah Maurer

Introductions Ch i t M t Christy Metzger Associate Director First Year Initiatives First Year Initiatives cametz03@louisville.edu 502-852-3200 Sarah Maurer Graduate Student Graduate Student CAPS Leader Program Intern, Summer 2008 sbmaur01@louisville.edu

Why create a summertime peer mentor program? Why create a summertime peer mentor program? What is the CAPS Leader Mentor Program? How have we assessed the program? What lessons did we learn? What lessons did we learn?

Why create a summertime peer mentor program? peer mentor program? – 4 year metropolitan research – 22 000 students total 22,000 students total ~ 2,600 First Time Freshmen ~ 23% minority population y p p – 15% residential (63% FYS) – Decentralized – Mandatory orientation course

S Summer Orientation (June) O i t ti (J ) • Excitement • Nervousness • Ending the cycle of contact d g e cyc e o co ac • Information overload Then we send them on their way… Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

…but do they really know but do they really know where they’re headed? Student Experience • Incomplete • Inconsistent • Inconsistent • Disjointed Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

Grounding a Solution in Research g • Tinto (1993) Student Departure Theory • Timing is everything! (Kuh, et al., Student Success in College ) • Importance of peer support in transition ( Upcraft, Gardner, & Assoc., The Freshman Year Experience ) • Student commitment to the institution (Wallace et al., 2000)

ivic Diversity and community cademic Traditions, expectations, and opportunities ersonal Individual development and well-being Meet, develop, and maintain relationships with ocial students, faculty, and staff Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

Take what we know and point them in the right direction… + Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

• Bridging the gap Bridging the gap • Forging student connections • New students learn more about the university • Bottom Line: • Strengthen ties and create new ones • Better prepared = ease their transition • Hasten integration into academic/social life • Hasten integration into academic/social life Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

The Mentors • Utilizing existing resources (mentor programs) to recruit (mentor programs) to recruit • Paid $252 for the 7-week program – For credit? Co-curricular credit? Volunteer? – For credit? Co-curricular credit? Volunteer? Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

The Platform • Utilizing existing resources (Blackboard) – Email & Discussion Board – Tab to house resources • Almost all incoming students enrolled in an orientation course with Blackboard an orientation course with Blackboard shell Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

The Platform • Assign 1 CAPS Leader to two Blackboard orientation courses – Avg. course = 25-30 students Avg course = 25 30 students – Try to assign like-majored Leaders with courses – Fall 2008: 72 sections – CAPS Leader has “Instructor” level access access Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

The Structure • Themed content each week: CAPS Themed content each week: CAPS – Introductions – Civic – Academic – Personal – Social Social – Other Mentor Programs at UofL – Final Words of Wisdom Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

The Program g • Weekly Lesson Plans Weekly Lesson Plans – Group Email (Monday/Tuesday) – Cardinal Clue Email (Wednesday/Thursday) ( y y) – Discussion Board Activity – Resource List – Extras Extras • Weeks 1 & 2: How to access Blackboard (mandatory), Making Facebook contact (optional) • Week 3: Personalized emails to non-participants Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

The Program g • Other responsibilities of CAPS Leaders Oth ibiliti f CAPS L d – Promptly responding to emails/inquiries – Completing administrative tasks C l ti d i i t ti t k • Usage reports • Contact Log • Contact Log • Timesheet – Mid-Point Check-in Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

Meet Your Mentor Lunch

Marketing • Summer Orientation • Postcard delivered just Postcard delivered just after program starts • Welcome Weekend promo W l W k d (Mentor Lunch) Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

Supporting the Leaders - Training pp g g • Leader Manual Leader Manual – Mentoring 101 – How the program works – Resources for UofL – Resources for UofL – Report running – Expectations and code of conduct • Computer lab for practice • Computer lab for practice • Problem scenario • Tips from returners p Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

Supporting the Leaders - June pp g • In-person refresher sessions • On-line Q&A • Students prep shells and first email early for intern check (imperative!) Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

Supporting the Leaders - Program pp g g • Intern handles administrative tasks • Intern/Assoc. Director available for Q&A • Regular emails to Leaders with updates and announcements and announcements • Mid-Point check in with Leaders – Prompt questions in advance Prompt questions in advance Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

What are the elements of assessment? • Blackboard Reports – Usage by first year students – CAPS Leader activity • First Year Student Survey • First Year Student Survey • CAPS Leader Mentor Survey • Sophomore survey developed (not yet implemented)

First Year Student Survey • Influences to participate – Learning UofL technology – Staying connected to UofL – Meet other new students in their section – Seemed like an important part of their transition Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

• What are they getting out of it? What are they getting out of it? – Increased knowledge of campus and community resources community resources – Understanding more about CAPS aspects of UofL – Making a positive connection with a CAPS Leader – Feeling more prepared to start UofL F li d t t t U fL Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

Timing is Everything! g y g “It helped me “It helped me transition to UofL life transition to UofL life over th o e o e r the summ e summer.” e r.” “It “It “It “It was was v ver v ery i y informa i f ormativ tive an tiv tiv and h d d h l d helpe ped d d d me transition very quickly and me transition very quickly and effi ffi ffi i fficien ently i tl i tly into co i t coll ll ll llege ege lif life. lif ” lif e.”

Importance of Peer Connections p “It allowed me “It allowed me to prepare for to prepare for college by college by my CAPS Leader sending emails to my CAPS Leader sending emails to my CAPS Leader sending emails to my CAPS Leader sending emails to me about me about any issues she faced as an any issues she faced as an incoming incoming college incoming college incoming college freshman and a lot college freshman and a lot freshman and a lot freshman and a lot of the issues I could relate with and it of the issues I could relate with and it made me feel more comfortable coming made me feel more comfortable coming made me feel more comfortable coming made me feel more comfortable coming to college.” to college.”

Institutional Support pp “The CAPS Leader program showed “The CAPS Leader program showed that Uo that UofL reall f f L really does care y y does care for its f or its students.” students.” “With the program, UofL is being “With the program, UofL is being proactive and proactive and there proactive proactive and there and there s a feeling there’s a feeling that s a feeling that a feeling that that people on people on campus are campus are waiting for the waiting for the new students to arrive. new students to arrive.” new students to arrive. new students to arrive.

First Year Student Survey • What are they missing? Wh t th i i ? – Didn’t understand how the program worked – Didn’t make a strong enough connection with their Leader/with their classmates – Information wasn’t useful enough/was too general I f ti ’t f l h/ t l – Didn’t hear often enough from Leader/heard too much Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons

CAPS Leader Mentor Survey • What are they getting out of it? • What are they getting out of it? – 100% Agree/Strongly Agree • Being a CAPS Leader was a positive experience • They strengthened their mentor skills – Almost 75% learned something new about UofL Almost 75% learned something new about UofL – Almost 70% made a connection they will continue after the program ends – 85% made a positive connection with faculty/staff Why ▪ What ▪ Assessment ▪ Lessons