Peer Educators at UC
by Mary Beth Romine
The First Year Experience (FYE) for incoming freshmen and transfers at the University of Charleston includes a University 101 class, which helps new students acclimate themselves to life at UC. Within this class there is a mentor and a student assistant otherwise known as a PE, or Peer Educator. Peer Educators are part of the Student Life Department on campus and have the major role of leading incoming freshmen to success throughout their college career.
The 2011-12 UC Peer Educators
A peer educator some may say is a friend, leader, role model, teacher and much more. We guide incoming freshmen into a successful transition from high school to college by teaching them techniques for studying, communication skills, and the use of resources available at UC. We are to help them understand the universities unique learning programs with the LLO’s (Liberal Learning Outcomes) to result in each student having the opportunity to learning your way.
In University 101 and 102 freshmen complete their communication portfolios equivalent to freshmen writing and other universities speech class. It gives them the opportunity to learn the correct way of effectively communicating to their audience and how to organize their thoughts. Also, the class demonstrates ethical thinking and community service activities to help lead students to actively commit to the universities mission statement “to educate each student for a life of productive work, enlightened living and community involvement.”
The Peer Education Program not only helps incoming freshmen with the transition but it also helps us as PE’s to stay actively involved with the campus and mission we wish to fulfill. You have a different set of students every year, a great variety of personalities and traits that you get to teach and handle. This experience lets upperclassmen stay in tune with campus activities and builds relationships and networking opportunities within UC with different faculty members and new students. It’s always a pleasure to service others and make a student’s experience here at UC positive and more efficient.
