OMA Mentoring Program
Purpose
The purpose of the Office of Multicultural Affairs Mentoring Program at West Chester University (WCU) is to assist first-year students of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American (multicultural) descent in making a successful transition to WCU.
The program, which is open to all first-year and transfer multicultural students, aims to empower individual student participants by providing them with a member of WCU's faculty/staff and multicultural student body who will guide, offer information, and support the student throughout his/her initial year of enrollment.
Our office strongly believes that the contributions of a faculty/staff member and a multicultural student who has earned 24 or more credits will result in a significant increase in the number of multicultural students achieving success at WCU, both inside and outside of the classroom.
Mentoring
Mentoring is a process in which a structured relationship exists between an experienced person (mentor) and another less experienced person (mentee). The mentor offers advice, guidance, support, motivation, encouragement, constructive criticism and counseling to the mentee for an extended period of time. Relationships between the mentor and the mentee can be formal or informal.
Design
The OMA Mentoring Program consists of three basic components. The first component is the faculty/staff mentor. The second component is comprised of the student peer mentors. Mentors on each level strive to assist one first-year multicultural student in his/her academic, career, personal, and social endeavors during their initial year of enrollment at WCU. The third, and most important component is the first-year multicultural student, the focus of the program.
Benefits of Mentoring
Mentees:
- confusion & alienation on new campus is alleviated
- academic performance is enhanced
- are taught the culture of their college campuses without having to learn the hard way
- abilities to network with peers and professionals are increased
- are shown the value of interdependences
- are provided with the tools they need to have a successful college experience
- have positive role models who are students as well as professionals
- are more aware of campus resources
- possess a better understanding of their rights as a student
Mentors:
- are afforded opportunity to have a positive affect on an individual's life
- show new students that they are valued members of the university community
- make new students aware of campus resources
- inform new students of various ways to communicate with professors/peers effectively
- help new students avoid common academic, social, and personal pifalls
- gain a greater appreciation of the importance of interdependence
- develop a true sense of giving back to the community
- acquire an increased regard for people of diverse backgrounds
- are personally satisfied from making a positive difference
Peer Mentors
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