UA First Year Experience Launches Peer Leaders Program

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Applications for Peer Leaders — a program at The University of Alabama that gives upperclassmen the opportunity to serve as role models and mentors to first-year students — are available at fye.ua.edu until Jan. 30.

Peer Leaders was created by First Year Experience within the UA Division of Student Affairs.

The students who are named Peer Leaders will serve in the classroom with a University faculty or staff member for Freshman Learning Communities and Compass Courses. These courses are designed to help first-year students adjust to the University, develop a better understanding of campus resources and acquire essential academic and social skills. In addition to providing guidance to new students, Peer Leaders will gain valuable leadership experience as they help facilitate these courses.

“Peer Leaders is designed to give students who have a passion for the University community the opportunity to explore their leadership potential and develop their communication abilities through in-classroom mentoring,” said Jim Dawkins, the adviser for the Peer Leaders program.

Applications for Peer Leaders are due Monday, Jan. 30, by 5 p.m. to 132 Mary Burke East.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate qualified students by emailing the student’s name and contact information to jtdawkinsiv@sa.ua.edu.

Students are required to submit an application and are selected following a committee interview. Peer Leaders will receive training before assisting a faculty or staff member with a first-year course in the fall.

Litsa Orban, coordinator of FYE, said the program can benefit new and returning students. “Peer Leaders act as role models to our first-year students, showing them what it means to be a successful UA student, while our upperclassmen learn techniques such as instructing and facilitating dialogue.”

The FYE office provides new students with programs, resources and services that will ease their transition from high school, a junior college or another college to academic and social life at UA.

To learn more about FYE, visit fye.ua.edu, follow @FYEatUA on Twitter and like “The University of Alabama, First Year Experience” on Facebook.