SSS Peer Mentor - Student Support Services TRIO (2023-2024)

Department: Student Support Services TRIO

Peer Success Mentors provide support services to first-year Student Support Services (SSS) TRIO students that follow a student’s developmental framework based on the student’s strengths and targeted areas for growth. These efforts are accomplished both individually and in small groups to increase mentees' skills and proficiency with specific learning strategies, study strategies, financial and economic literacy, career development, and overall engagement in the first year of college.

Peer Mentors also help mentees with career development specifically as it relates to utilizing career exploration resources, exploration of majors, minors, and certificates, identifying and developing NACE career-ready competencies, setting professional goals and action plans, learning about the area of work, especially in high-demand industry sectors and occupations, resume building/writing, and graduate/professional programs. Peer Mentors also help connect students to High Impact Practices such as study abroad, internships, research, e-portfolio work, campus employment as a HIP, and community engagement.

The Peer Mentoring program is designed to be a High Impact Practice: By incorporating classroom learning into hands-on work experience as well as providing supervision and Mentoring, students gain necessary tools to grow and contribute as professionals.

·      Further program objectives by taking part in a minimum of 6 face-to-face meetings (individual or group) with each assigned Mentee each semester to help accomplish program outcomes.

·      Identify and complete measurable goals that relate to Mentee’s learning strategies, study strategies, financial and economic literacy, career development, and overall engagement utilizing SMART Goals.

·      Explain transitional topics to help Mentee navigate through college including but not limited to learning and study strategies, and financial and economic literacy.

·      Explain NACE competencies (skills and competencies desired by in-demand industry sectors or occupations) to peer mentees

·      Develop at least two NACE competencies (skills and competencies desired by in-demand industry sectors or occupations) each year during the course of your student employment

·      Develop an action plan with your Mentor supervisor that includes participation in at least one new college level experience each year that furthers your professional development in one of the following pathways: Research and Creative Activity, Internships, Volunteerism/Community Engagement, Study Abroad, Leadership, Graduate School, and/or Professional Affiliations.

·      Complete weekly activities with their Mentee that are prescribed every based on program outcomes.

·      Meet with your SSS Peer Mentor supervisor weekly to discuss accomplishments and challenges and Complete Career Readiness Competency Development and Evaluation. Mentors will complete a self-evaluation each meeting based on the program’s outcomes expected and responsibilities expected of a Mentor in the program. Supervisor will evaluate Mentor’s performance.

·      Complete Weekly Summary of their accomplishments including:

o  Collaborative Mentor Training

o  Meetings with your mentees

o  Weekly Staff meetings

o  Attendance to First-Year Seminar and Career Development Course

·      Help Mentees accomplish the program outcomes identified for the SSS Peer Mentoring Program. Introduce, model, accomplish program outcomes.

·      Participate in Kick Start – new student orientation program.

·      Guide student orientation into the college and Student Support Services TRIO by: helping student log into solar, connect with Navigate, Handshake, Canvas, GradReady, complete the LASSI assessment and prescriptions, GradReady modules, and SSS application materials during New Student Orientations and throughout the academic year.

·      Design and deliver interactive presentations for students on academic and career topics using Microsoft PowerPoint and additional tools.

·      Create and record videos for students on specified academic and career topics using digital video creation tools.

·      Explore academic and career information using credible sources of information, including Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*Net, Virtual Job Shadow, and additional digital resources.

·      Develop and update cover letter, resume, and career portfolio using Microsoft Word, Wordpress, and additional digital tools.

·      Access instructional information using Canvas.

·      Explain Solar, Navigate, Handshake, Canvas, and GradReady for student use.

·      Record hours and manage electronic timesheet using UW Portal.

·      Assist in meeting the goals of the program

·      Serve as a role model for students.

·      Prepare and present college success and career development presentations, projects, and activities.

·      Attend and help facilitate First-Year Seminar and Career Development Course.

·      Attend a Winter Collaborative Mentor Training.

·      Attend Weekly Meetings with the SSS Mentor supervisor to go over materials and information regarding SSS Peer Mentor program objectives and to practice delivery of these materials and information for meeting with your mentee or groups of mentees, and on-going training.

·      Complete Weekly Timesheets and Weekly Tasks.

·      Peer Mentors are expected to target two specific job-related NACE competencies to develop each semester. Through shared input, reflection (formative/summative), and recognition, between supervisor and student, students demonstrate their skill competency development through the course of their employment.

·      Help mentees identify and develop NACE skills and competencies desired by in-demand industries including: Career and Self Development, Critical Thinking, Equity and Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, and Technology.

·      Help mentees connect to local & regional employers especially in in-demand industry sectors or occupations through activities such as informational interviewing, job shadowing, internships, attendance to internship and career fairs, attendance to career trek modules.

·      Develop programs and market with sensitivity to the diverse student population

·      Promote the benefits of being involved in all campus programs to all students ensuring that international and underrepresented students are included in a way that is inclusive and culturally sensitive.

Requirements: 1) Be a student with at least a sophomore standing for the 2023-24 academic year; 2) Be in good academic standing with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Preferred: Have some college level experience with at least one of the following pathways: Research and Creative Activity, ePortfolio development, Internships, Volunteerism/Community Engagement, Study Abroad, Leadership, Financial Literacy, Campus Employment as a HIP, Graduate School, and/or Professional Affiliations. Students who have taken the UWP 293 Career Development Course are preferred. 

Paid Training: Mandatory training for this position will be taking place before the start of the Fall term and 1 week before the start of the Spring term.

Kick Start: SSS Peer Mentors are an integral part of the Promise+ program. SSS Peer Mentors will need to be available to work during the week of Kick Start, which takes place one week before the start of the Fall 2023 term.

Compensation: $12 per hour (approx. 4-6 hrs. per week). Work-study students are preferred but not required. Additional hours may be available for special events/projects.

Positions Available: We are looking to hire 15 total Peer Mentors.

Length of Employment: This position is for the 2023-24 academic year, which consists of the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 terms. Some availability for employment during the Spring 2023 and Summer 2023 terms is also possible.

Employment Start: Employment will begin in August before the start of the Fall 2023 term.