So you want to be a Mentor?
Do you remember what it was like your first semester at James Madison and what you did to survive? Are you a good listener who would like to help others learn from your experiences but doesn’t pretend to have all the answers? Are you a motivated student who is interested in making a difference in the lives of first-year Madison students?
Become a Madison First-Year Mentor!
Why become a Peer Mentor?
- Improve the sense of community within your college;
- Meet new people;
- Build your resume;
- Gain leadership experience.
What does a Mentor do?
FYMP mentors will play a crucial role in connecting new students to the college community, help cultivate a sense of belonging, and provide information and academic resources on campus. Through sharing their own experiences and serving as a point of connection within the college, mentors will support new students as they navigate their first year at JMC.
Qualifications:
- Second, third, or fourth+-year JMC student and ability to commit to the program for the full academic year.
- Demonstrated involvement on campus and within the college in a way that would enable mentor to encourage others to seek out opportunities.
- Demonstrated willingness and ability to interact with and support individuals who hold different identities than themselves.
- Ability to meet performance expectations as outlined above.
- Must be in good academic standing, maintaining at least a 2.5 GPA.
Academic Standards:
Mentors are expected to be a good role model for first-year students. They will be expected to be in good academic standing, maintaining at least a 2.5 cumulative and semester GPA while making satisfactory progress toward their degree.
Responsibilities & Expectations:
Mentors in the FYMP program will receive training at the beginning of fall and spring semesters and receive additional monthly developmental guidance. Attendance will be mandatory for the fall mentor training on September 18 from 5 to 8 p.m., as well as for the FYMP mentor-mentee match ice cream social on October 2 at 5:30 p.m.
Mentors will attend at least one JMC event with their mentees each month, at least one in-person meeting with their mentees, and have weekly reasonable electronic communication with their mentees. New Wednesday evening programming at JMC will provide regular opportunities to fulfill the monthly event requirement.
Mentors will agree to submit regular program reporting forms and an end of semester evaluation.
Mentors should expect to commit about 20 hours per semester to the program.
Benefits/Compensation:
Mentors will receive payment of $250 at the end of each semester after meeting the program’s performance expectations.
How can I apply to be a Mentor?
Second, third, or fourth+-year JMC students interested in becoming a mentor can view the program requirements, expectations and application instructions via Handshake (search “JMC”). Applications for the 2024-25 program are due: Aug. 18, 2024.