Faculty & Staff: UCOL Organization: Student Mentors

University College is immensely proud of its large corps of student mentors--undergraduates who work in a variety of programs to enhance the learning experiences of IUPUI students.  All University College student mentors are awarded scholarships in recognition of the tremendous work they do on behalf of the IUPUI student body.  They are carefully trained for their specific mentoring roles, and they also enroll in courses throughout their mentoring experiences designed to help them enhance their academic service. The following descriptions offer specific information about the work of our UC student mentors.

Orientation Mentors

The OTEAM is a group of undergraduate students who lead the summer orientation programs and mentor in the First-Year Seminar courses during the fall and spring semesters.  OTEAM members receive the University College Leadership Scholarship for their service to the campus community.

Leading Orientation:

The interactive orientation day is facilitated by the positive, fun, and knowledgeable OTEAM. The role of an orientation leader is to assist new and transfer students along with their family guests through the orientation day.  Orientation leaders help students acquire their JagTag, verifytheir technology account, explore the campus, learn about Campus & Community Life, participate in an advising workshop, and register for classes. OTEAM Leaders share campus information in an exciting and helpful manner.

Mentoring First-Year Seminars:

First-Year Seminar mentors are members of the instructional team for the course. The mentor's role is to serve as a role model for the new students enrolled in first-year seminars. The student mentor helps introduce new students to resources, expectations, successful academic habits, and the campus community.

 

Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) Mentor

SLA mentors conduct a mandatory one-hour per week directed study and practice session that is attached to a high-risk-for-failure gateway course. SLA is course-content centered. Study and learning skills are applied to the specific course materials. Mentors assist students in making connections between the lessons and lectures of the class. SLA is a mechanism for teaching students how to work collaboratively and how to form study teams.

 

Supplemental Instruction (SI) Mentor

A Supplemental Instruction (SI) mentor is a learning assistant who is content-competent in a particular subject.  SI mentors assist other students in gaining a better understanding of the course content, and they help develop learning skills to enhance students’ academic experience. SI mentors demonstrate processes and methodologies associated with the learning experience (i.e., learning strategies, note-taking skills, listening skills, test anxiety, etc.).  This academic mentor is not a tutor, but rather a facilitator who helps students develop the thinking and reasoning skills which characterize intellectual maturity.  An SI mentor is available to undergraduate students as an academic guide, an empathetic listener, a resource guide, and most of all, a supportive friend.

 

Resource Center Mentor

Resource mentors serve as empathetic listeners to student concerns and advocates for IUPUI students.  The mentors are trained in the interviewing skills necessary to make them active, helpful, and non-judgmental listeners.  They work one-on-one with individual students, empowering them in their quest to succeed academically and socially.  Furthermore, mentors conduct thorough, on-going follow-ups with all students after the initial contact.  Mentors provide students with resources to help them determine their individual learning styles and make subsequent suggestions.  Additionally, mentors refer students to other campus resources such as Academic Advising, The Writing Center, Speaker’s Lab, Campus and Community Life Programs, International Affairs, and Counseling and Psychological Services.  Most importantly, mentors encourage students to interact with instructors and department staff. 

 

University College Leadership Scholarship

University College offers a variety of leadership opportunities for successful undergraduate students who would like to aid incoming freshmen in a smooth transition from high school to the university environment. Mentors serve as experienced guides, advisors, confidants, and friends. Some of the main goals of the mentoring programs include:

• Promoting academic excellence
• Encouraging the development of student relationships with other students and staff
• Advancing knowledge about campus resources
• Providing consistent, reliable sources of support

Mentors are used in the following programs:

• Orientation and First-Year Seminar [Apply Online! ]
• Learning Center [Apply Online!  ]
• Math Assistance Center
• Campus Community Programs

Scholarship requirements vary for each program. Please refer to each area for specific information.

---

Mentor Courses:

The following are brief descriptions of the coursework required as part of the mentoring responsibilities.

UCOL U201: Introduction to Peer Mentoring

Description: This is an introductory course for students who will be serving in their first semester as a student mentor. This course is designed to provide a foundation of mentoring knowledge such as the history, nature, and skills associated with mentoring. This will be accomplished through readings, discussions, and activities. Mentors will also be introduced to information about the university structure, given exercises to define and develop their own mentoring style and skills, and provided the opportunity to explore the diverse needs of undergraduate students.

UCOL U202: Collaborative Learning

Description: This course is designed to help mentors learn more about mentoring as a collaborative process. This course will expand the mentor’s knowledge and skills by developing a deeper understanding of how students learn, collaborative learning techniques, and how to take collaborative learning into groups in which they mentor. Readings, discussions, and activities will be assigned in an effort to help mentors become better group leaders, understand role theory within groups, learn techniques for engaging students in active learning, and refine their mentoring relationships.

UCOL U203: Mentoring: Leadership and Transition

Description: This course is designed to provide seasoned mentors the opportunity to explore and apply leadership theory and principles as they transition from their current and mentoring role to the leadership of their individual mentoring program and/or other leadership opportunities on campus or in the community. Mentors will also be asked to develop plans for how their mentoring experiences can be applied to enrich their academic pursuits and career development.

UCOL U204: Mentoring: Independent Study

Description: This course is intended to provide seasoned mentors the opportunity to apply mentoring theories, knowledge, and experiences towards completing an independent study on mentoring. The student mentor together with his or her component director and a faculty member will develop the inquiry project.

---

The University College Leadership Scholarship Grant is available to undergraduate student mentors who have successfully completed at least two semesters (three preferred) of mentoring, have their program director's approval, and have selected a qualified program for which to apply.

Scholarship Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be an undergraduate mentor in a degree-seeking program at IUPUI
• Have mentored for no less than two semesters (three preferred)
• Be enrolled full time and in good academic standing (2.8 GPA or above) at the time of application
• Proof of a qualified event (conference, exchange program, study abroad, research, or internship experience)