PAST PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS |
GUEST EDITOR
METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITIES
Special issue: Student Peer Mentoring
Vol. 28, No. 3 (2017)
While a 21st century education provides exceptional benefits, it can also present challenges. An increasingly diverse student population coming from complex societies coupled with tightening of resources leave universities from across the country asking, “How can we better meet the needs of our students?” Peer mentoring is a remedy for schools lacking sufficient external resources to support student bodies that are increasingly diverse and complex in educational needs.
“Your article, Why Peer Mentoring is an Effective Approach to Promoting College Student Success, is one of the top five downloaded Metropolitan Universities articles (2016-2019).” Dr. Valerie Holton, Executive Editor, Metropolitan Universities |
|
MENTORING PROGRAM DESIGN & TRAINING
|
2017-2018
PEER MENTORING PROGRAM CONSULTANT
TRiO Program and Pathways Program
MEDAILLE COLLEGE • Buffalo, New York
November 2017 - September 2018
Consultant services were divided into two distinct stages. Initially, the services focused on "training the trainers" from multiple Medaille College peer mentoring programs. A series of workshops during a January 2018 site visit emphasized identifying college adjustment issues students faced, which issues were appropriate to address with peer mentoring, introducing the expertise-development peer mentoring model, and what constitutes appropriate evaluation. Additional services for the TRiO program included connecting student adjustment issues to campus resources and success strategies, developing student support materials, revising the existing training curriculum, and refining the program's evaluation plan. The second stage involved providing training materials and demonstrating the actual training of student mentors. During a second site visit in August 2018, the consultant conducted peer mentor training for both the TRiO and Pathways programs. |
|
 |
| "Training the Trainers" |
|
|
|
2016-2017
PEER MENTORING PROGRAM CONSULTANT
TRiO Program
San Diego State University • San Diego, California
Consultant services included developing program policies, procedures, mentor and mentee recruitment materials, job descriptions and associated forms; supplying templates for program resources
such as descriptions of campus resources and student success scripts, designing an evaluation plan and data collection instruments, as well as providing mentor training and the evaluation of that training. |
"When it comes to peer mentoring consultants there are loads that talk a good game, but Pete Collier makes it happen. He enabled me, coached me and gave me the confidence needed to develop a peer mentoring program for students with disabilities for our TRIO program at San Diego State University."
Asha' Jones, Project Director
TRIO Student Support Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, California |
 |
| |
Dr. Collier with Mentors |
MENTORING PROGRAM DESIGN & TRAINING
|
|
|
2016-2017
PEER MENTORING PROGRAM CONSULTANT
TRiO Johnson Scholars Program
University of Maine-Farmington • Farmington, Maine
Consultant services focused on revising and elaborating an existing peer mentoring program specifically in the areas of refining program policies, procedures, and job descriptions; supplementing existing program resources with additional materials such as resource tips and student success scripts, refining existing evaluation plan and instruments, as well as providing mentor training and the evaluation of that training. |
| |
"The peer mentor training covered the information that our mentors needed to their job effectively. Mentors commented on how much they valued the training; it was very smooth, well organized, and fun. At our one-on-one and large-group meetings this year, mentors often referred to something learned or practiced in training.
The best thing, however, was to hear the mentors admit that the tip sheets (especially time-management and backwards planning) improved their own student expertise. They became better problem solvers. "Show them, don't tell them how to be good students" is one of our many slogans from the expertise approach.
Your training also made our staff better supervisors, more able to help mentors develop professionalism. You gave us the language to make this happen. We were clear in our expectations of mentees, and these expectations were grounded in best practices. I can't thank you enough."
Marilyn Wegner, Assistant Director TRiO Johnson Scholars Program
University of Maine at Farmington
Farmington, Maine |
| |
 |
| Dr. Collier with Mentors at UMF |
|
2016-2017
PEER MENTORING PROGRAM CONSULTANT
NIH-funded BUILD EXITO Project
Portland State University-Oregon Health Sciences University • Portland, Oregon
This project utilizes three levels of mentors to provide support for undergraduates from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds who aspire to research careers in STEM disciplines. Evaluation efforts focused on providing feedback on first-year program outcomes based on data from a series of focus groups with mentees, peer mentors, and institutional partners. |
|
|
