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CHANCE, PROMISE Scholars launch peer mentoring

October 1, 2014

CHANCE studentsNIU’s McKinley “Deacon” Davis CHANCE Program and the National Science Foundation PROMISE Scholars Program have implemented a new peer mentoring network for NIU freshmen.

CHANCE’s mentoring program focuses on providing support to all students in any major. PROMISE’s mentoring program focuses on providing support to students majoring in science, technology, engineering and math.

The goal of both mentoring programs is to assist new freshmen in making the transition from high school to the college campus.

Mentors are sophomore, junior and senior students who model and foster a supportive and trusting relationship. At the same time, mentors share strategies that will help a student to negotiate the campus environment by offering academic help, study skill strategies, referral to campus resources or just some time to talk about the “freshmen experience.”

Both coordinators for the student mentoring program – Jamie Smothers, PMP coordinator for CHANCE, and Tracy Ash, coordinator for PROMISE – planned mentoring training sessions and hosted a mentor/mentee “meet and greet” at the beginning of the semester.

For more information on the CHANCE mentoring program, call (815) 753-0500 or email  jsmothers@niu.edu. For more information on the NSF PROMISE Scholars mentoring program, call (815) 753-8081 or email tash@niu.edu.