18 named to PEER mentoring team

  Friday, January 30, 2015 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Pittsburg State University has announced that 18 students have been selected to a mentoring team designed to assist new freshmen in making a successful transition to university life.

The Pitt Encouragement and Educational Resource Specialist (PEERS) program was launched in 2010 as a way to help new freshmen adjust to university life and improve retention rates. Members of the group are selected from a pool of applicants. Criteria for selection includes high academic standards, references and an essay.

Students selected as PEERS mentors must complete a 1-credit-hour training course that focuses on working with diverse populations, mentoring, teaching, and interpersonal communication.

Some of the duties of PEERS mentors include leading session at the end of Freshman Experience discussion sessions each week and developing, promoting and implementing out-of-class engagement activities.

Heather Eckstein, director of first-year programs at PSU, said the PEER mentors play an important role in helping students begin their university careers on solid footing.

“The PEER mentors have helped many first-year students start their careers well,” Eckstein said.

The newest PEER mentors are:

Kylie Baima, Pittsburg, Kan.; Morgan Bly, Overland Park, Kan.; Amber Demaranville, Frontenac, Kan.; Brandon Emerson, Pittsburg, Kan.; Devin Fitzgerald, Ellsworth, Kan.; Alyssa Goodwin, Columbus, Kan.; Lainey Harper, Amsterdam, Mo.; Payton Hayworth, Mulvane, Kan.; Katie Henderson, Goddard, Kan.; Lindsey Kearney, Atchison, Kan.; Madison Kirch, Olathe, Kan.; Cheyenne McDonald, Carl Junction, Mo.; Noah Monsour, Pittsburg, Kan.; Joshua Schooley, Pittsburg, Kan.; Megan Siruta, Goodland, Kan.; Haley Willard, Topeka, Kan.; Austin Williamson, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; and Toni Zibert, Arma, Kan.