University of Wisconsion - Eau Claire

UWEC

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Proposal

Psychology Student Mentorship (older students mentoring younger ones)

30 hours


Community partner: UWEC Psychology
Supervisor: Jarrod C. Hines
Beginning date:
2024-09-01
Ending Date:
2025-05-31

Service-Learning Proposal Description

1.

Briefly describe the project and the community need to be addressed.

Answer This project involves the mentorship of younger (generally first-year) student by older (generally third-year) students within the Psychology Department. This opportunity will allow students to complete 30 hours of service-learning across an academic year (fall and spring semesters). NOTE: Participation in this program begins in Fall and carries through Spring of an academic year. No students will be able to join after the beginning of Fall.

2.

What is the mission of the agency or organization?

Answer This mentorship program is intended to help everyone involved in the program feel more connected to others within the Psychology Department. The goals of the program are for mentors to help facilitate the general academic success and mental wellbeing of their mentee(s) by helping them navigate stressful experiences that are typically encountered as a college student. These experiences include things like studying for exams, managing time, navigating student-professor interactions, making meaningful connections with other students, etc. The mentees, essentially, receive guidance, while the mentors reinforce their communication and leadership skills, among others.

3.

What skills are required for this project? 

Answer Mentors should be kind, patient, and empathetic people. They will possess general academic and interpersonal skills that they may pass along to their mentees. Note that this is not intended to be a tutoring program, however mentees may request assistance in understanding psychology course content to which mentors have likely been exposed. Additionally, mentors are expected to be a general sounding board for issues the mentee encounters that they want help navigating, e.g., how to talk to a professor in professional manner or find / use resources available to them.

4.

What are the objectives for the student learning and service?

Answer Student mentors will experience reinforcement of communication, leadership, and academic skills while also forming meaningful connections with fellow students to help build a sense of community and connectedness within the Psychology Department.

5.

What are the availability requirements for the student?

Answer Students must be available for at least one weekly meeting with their mentee and one weekly meeting with all mentors to discuss the experience. Meetings may not occur weekly (e.g., mentors and mentees work out a schedule that they are comfortable with), but it is appropriate to ensure that time is available to attend as they occur during the semester.

6.

Additional information (not required).

Answer Due to unforeseen circumstances, the program is on hiatus for the 2023-24 academic year. We apologize for any inconvenience.