Sometimes the person a student feels most comfortable sharing academic concerns, asking questions and seeking support from is someone relatable – like a fellow student.
This is how Peer Advisors (PA), the College of Education’s new one-year pilot program, came to be. Peer advisors are current students who offer valuable resources and mentorship to both current and prospective students. They help guide students through the academic process, provide advice drawing from their own college experiences, and assist in developing the skills needed to achieve their scholastic goals.
The PAs are carefully selected undergraduate students, trained to offer a range of support services to their peers in areas such as registration and course selection, enrollment, degree planning, college tours, student life, and time management. As advisors, they bring their own relatable perspectives, sharing academic and social experiences to their peers from their own academic journeys as COE students.
New students in particular need help navigating and planning their first year of college, managing academic demands such as class scheduling and developing effective test-taking strategies. Peer advisors not only assist with student questions and concerns, but also respond to inquiries from parents and prospective students as well.
This year’s student advisors are
- Annalisa Huynh, a Generalist EC-6 Education major
- Audrey Kaden, a Health Promotion and Behavioral Science major
- Corrie Jarrett, an Exercise Science major
- Daisy Ojigho, an Exercise Science major
- Daisy Rocha, a Physical Culture and Sports major
- Vianey Sanchez, a Bilingual Education and Sociology double major
While many students come with simple administrative questions, more complex topics such as navigating enrollment and degree audits come up on a more regular basis, particularly during registration periods. For those students needing more detailed assistance, they can schedule a 30-minute meeting for additional advising.
Sometimes they just have questions about what they need academically,
explained Corrie Jarrett. Other times they have questions about financial needs or figuring out how to make more connections on campus since we’re part of such a huge university. It’s our job to guide them to the correct resources and also discuss what we did as students ourselves.
The advisors often find that some students are just seeking reassurance that they’re on the right path. We can all stay calm and help students see that it’s going to be OK,
said Vianey Sanchez. One way or another, we’re going to figure it out.
Jessica Silva (B.S. ’07), senior academic program coordinator for student success, played a key role in creating the advisory program. She noted that the student advisors already bring a wealth of knowledge to the role which they can share with their peers, and their experience within the college only amplifies their ability to provide meaningful support.
One of the best aspects of peer-to-peer advising is that students are learning from someone who’s in the mix and having similar experiences right now, making representation much easier,
Silva added.
Peer advisors are available at the front desk in SZB 2.110 to answer questions. As a COE student, you can also make appointments for one-on-one advising by calling 512-471-3223 or by visiting the COE Canvas site.
Currently the front-desk PAs are only available in the Sánchez Building, although the department is looking to expand access to Bellmont.
