Transitioning to college is not an easy task, especially for students traveling from small rural communities like those in the Bering Strait Region. Noting this challenge, the Higher Education Department at Kawerak created the Peer Mentor Program to ensure first and second year students don’t need to embark on their college journey alone.
“The Peer Mentorship Program was definitely something that I feel like would have been helpful for me when I first started school,” said Roberta Miller.
Originally from Unalakleet, Roberta was hired as a peer mentor for the program during her time as a master’s student at UAF. The program paired her with a new freshman just transitioning to college life. Roberta was excited to participate and provide support, guidance and connection to her mentee.
One of the greatest benefits of the program Roberta shared was the built-in support she was able to offer her mentees. “Being able to listen to the students and to be there for them if they are going through something personal, with family, school, or finances has made me realize I’ve really enjoyed just being there for them and encouraging them to do the right thing,” said Roberta.
Students moving from the Bering Strait region to university life in Anchorage and Fairbanks experience a lot of change in a short amount of time. Martin Olson applied to participate as a mentee during his freshman year at University of Alaska Anchorage. Coming from Golovin, he remembers how beneficial the program felt for him in his first year.
“Thanks to the peer mentoring program, I was able to meet other people who shared the same experiences as me. I was able to get help with issues that someone who may not have lived in the region might not understand. It was also good to see people who were also Alaskan Native pursuing higher education,” Martin said.
The Peer Mentors help provide support while the mentee students adjust to their new lifestyle, a demanding schedule and challenging classwork. Peer mentors are there to cheer on the mentees along the way, lending a listening ear in times of stress and offering tips and tricks for success in the classroom. As a mentor, Roberta focused on goal setting with her mentees, starting with small steps to help them get through the day-to-day, laying strong groundwork for the next four years of college.
“Just getting out of bed and attending class is an achievement in itself- so just recognizing that accomplishing these small little goals is something to be proud of. I keep encouraging them that small goals help in the long run,” said Roberta.
Mentors can also provide advice on different opportunities outside the classroom. With inspiration from his mentor, Martin pursued participation in a study abroad program.
Martin said, “The biggest piece of advice I was given by my mentor was to try and get the most experience I can out of college. Because of their advice, I was able to achieve a lot in my first year of college and even got to study abroad in Japan.”
The Peer Mentor Program offers community and connection to students from the region in a time of transition and challenge. It’s an opportunity to build in a support network in an intentional way during a time when you know you’ll need it.
Martin says, “I think the peer mentoring program is a wonderful program that allows students from the Bering Strait to get help from more experienced peers and meet new students.”
The opportunity for this support is available if you apply, but apply today (deadline is now, June 30!) or keep the program in mind when the time is right!
For more information and to access the application, visit http://www.kawerak.org/peermentor.
