Empowering Peer Leaders

to Engage Students

Beyond the First Semester

Jessica Nash, M.Ed.

St. Ambrose University

First Year Experience

National Resource Center Annual FYE Conference

February 20-23, 2016

Orlando, FL

Agenda

Overview of SAU

First Year initiatives

Growing the Peer Assistant leadership program

Assessment and summary

St. Ambrose University

Davenport, IA

Catholic

Private liberal arts institution

430 FY students

2,500 undergraduate students

Fighting Bees

First Year Experience

2011

Academic Affairs

Department size

Collaborative Programming

New Student Seminar

Extended orientation course

Fall semester

1 credit, graded

90% First Year Students

New Student Seminar

Goals and Outcomes

Promote Academic Success.

Help Students Develop a Social and Personal Connection to SAU.

Facilitate Thoughtful Exploration of Interests, Majors, and Careers.

Instructor choice of a fourth goal

Peer Assistants

History

Hiring process

Classroom responsibilities

Out of the classroom responsibilities

Peer Assistant

Responsibilities Attend Peer Assistant Trainings and biweekly meetings

Assist instructor with NSS goals and outcomes

Facilitate class discussion

Create lesson plans

Participate in First Book

Act as a student resource and maintain student confidentiality

Act as a positive role-model

Initiate contact with students regarding academic progress

Promote FYE initiatives

First Year Initiatives

First Semester

Welcome Week

New Student Seminar

New Student Seminar Peer Assistants

Learning Communities

First Book

Mapworks

First Year Initiatives contd.

Second Semester

Students Emerging As Leaders (SEAL)

Mapworks

"68 Things Every First Year Ambrosian Should Do" Contest

Growing the Peer Assistant Leadership Program

Reinforces consistent support for FY students for the entire year

Help students engage in their own education

Intentional peer interactions at key points throughout the year can have positive impact

Benefits Peer Assistants by promoting commitment and ownership of PA program

Peer Assistants increase their institutional knowledge

Minimal cost

Year 1

13 Spring PAs out of 30 Fall PAs

Lead PAs

Promote Campus Events

Mapworks

Financial Aid Literacy event

“What to expect out of your Sophomore year” panel

Registration Stations

Year 1 Lessons

Successes Lead PAs

Registration Stations

PA Investment

Opportunities PA Panel

Financial Aid Literacy

Being used as a resource

Year 2

30 PAs out of 30

Lead PAs

NSS Group Meetings

Housing information

Collaboration with Existing Events

Registration Stations

Virtual Tour of Campus Resources

Admitted Student Days

Year 2 lessons in progress

Successes NSS Group meetings

Individual connections

Email responses

Campus partners

Connecting to students who are not enrolled in NSS

Opportunities

Developing leaders

New logo and gear

Bi-weekly “Chat and Chew”

Leadership goals in training

Lead PA leadership discussions

University of IOWA GROW® questions

Meet your PA events

Identifying potential leaders

Assessment

Fall 2015 – Mapworks Survey: 73.3% Response Rate

How did you learn about various Welcome Week Activities?

32.9% answered “From my Peer Assistant”

My Peer Assistant helped me feel more comfortable during Welcome Week about starting college.

68.9% answered “Mildly Agree”, “Agree”, or “Strongly Agree”.

Assessment Contd.

Spring 2016 – SAU Survey: In Progress

My Peer Assistant has made a positive impact on my college transition.

I feel comfortable going to my Peer Assistant with questions.

What, if anything, could your Peer Assistant do to make your spring semester more successful?

Positive Results

Increased student support

Increased applicants

2014: 30 applicants

2015: 41 applicants

Lead PA position

New ideas

Questions?

• If you have year-long student leadership programs, what are you doing that is working well for you?

• If you have gaps in first year student support in the second semester, how are you addressing those gaps?

References

Haber, Paige. "Peer Education in Student Leadership Programs: Responding to Co-Curricular Challenges." Emerging Issues and Practices in Peer Education. Ed. Lee Burdette Williams. Vol. 133. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011.

Metz, Cuseo, and Thompson. Peer-to-Peer Leadership: Transforming Student Culture. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt, 2013.

Upcraft, M. Lee, and John N. Gardner. Challenging and Supporting the First-year Student: A Handbook for Improving the First Year of College. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005.

https://vp.studentlife.uiowa.edu/initiatives/grow/