What is P2P Mentoring?
Rider University’s Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Mentoring program promotes students’ success and persistence toward graduation. Peer-to-Peer mentoring is an opportunity for first-year students of color, or those who may identify as underrepresented, marginalized, and/or underresourced, to be plugged into a community of peers. First-generation students are welcome. Participants will have the opportunity to be mentored by juniors and seniors. In addition to a mentoring experience, students will have weekly programming to ensure that they are engaged on campus.
Mission
The mission of P2P Mentoring is to foster encouragement and support for full time first-year students of color, including Black/African Americans, Chicanx/Hispanic/Latinx, Asian/Asian Americans, Native Americans, Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, and Multi-Ethnic, or those who may identify as underrepresented, marginalized, and/or underresourced. Through P2P Mentoring, students will be empowered through peer-to-peer mentoring and engagement with juniors and seniors in their first year, enabling them to persist in their college experience through to graduation from Rider University.
Apply to become a Mentor for the P2P Mentoring Program
Who may participate as a mentor?
Rising full-time junior and senior students of color, or those who may identify as underrepresented, marginalized, and/or underresourced, with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher and an application with a reference.
Request a Mentor for the P2P Mentoring Program
Who may participate as a mentee?
Freshman students of color, or those who may identify as underrepresented, marginalized, and/or underresourced.
Why Participate?
Where will the P2P Mentoring program take place?
Most of the training for P2P Mentoring will occur on the Rider campus. When possible, CDI will collaborate and/or merge with other departments (as in the case of the mentor training) and other mentoring seminars (as in the case of MSLI fall evening and spring afternoon seminars). Besides program orientations, mentor and mentee training, the following activities will be implemented into programming as seen on the attached proposed timeline.
Information sessions
- Academic Success Center
- College Readiness
- Information Literacy
- Time and Stress Management
- Housing
- Financial Literacy
- Center for Diversity and Inclusion
Roundtables
- Faculty, staff, and alumni of color
- Faculty from same discipline/major
Seminars
- Motivational
- Informational
- Educational
Intercultural activities
- Field trips to foster cultural enrichment
- Group bonding activities
- Good citizenship practices
- Campus cultural programs
Alumni Career Panels
Anticipated Outcomes for P2P Mentoring Participants
How to differentiate P2P Mentoring from the Multicultural Student Leadership Institute (MSLI) program
| Peer to Peer (P2P) Mentoring | Multicultural Student Leadership Institute (MSLI) |
|---|---|
| No early move-in | Early move-in – fall and spring semesters |
| The main goal is to build persistence to graduation | Leadership values primary focus; self-awareness, self-efficacy, and professional development |
| One full academic year – first-year to sophomore only | One full semester – fall term for first-year students; also available to transfer students in the spring and fall semesters |
| Peer mentor for one full academic year | Peer leader guidance for one semester |
| Weekly engagement for one full academic year | Engagement throughout one semester |
| No summer bridge week | Summer Bridge Week with a cultural trip |
| No cost to the participant | Participants pay a one-time fee of $200 to offset expenses for all engagement |
| No offsite Professional Development Training | Offsite Professional Development Training for one full weekend |
| Targets only students of color | Targets all students from diverse backgrounds |
| Ratio Mentor to Student - 1:1 or 1:2 | Ratio Peer Leader to Student - 1:7 |
| More faculty involvement in educational seminars during the entire academic year | Mentored by faculty, staff, alumni for one semester; additional support from student workers |
| A varied selection of field trips for cultural learning | One cultural field trip |
| Not eligible to enroll in IND350 Shadow Experience until after earning 30+ credits and a 2.5 GPA, usually in Sophomore year | May enroll in the IND350 Shadow Experience, a one-credit billable pass/fail course, during the second semester of the first-year at Rider, only if in MSLI. |
| Two Engaged Learning points earned for Mentors and Mentees for one full academic year (approximately 50 hours each semester). | Two points earned for one full academic semester (approximately 90-100 hours), including MSLI Summer Bridge Week. Also, opportunities to earn Engaged Learning Points, in addition to the MSLI program as a Participant, through MSLI Peer Leaders, MSLI PALS (Partners Assisting in Learning for Students), and MSLI Ambassadors. |
The benefits of both mentoring programs are similar in scope.
Program Expectations
To have a more fulfilling and rewarding experience, participants of the program are required to meet the following expectations:
- Mentors and mentees must complete an application. You will also be required to attend mentor or mentee training.
- On a voluntary basis, mentors and mentees must serve in the program for a minimum of one year and for as long as your mentee is a part of the program. In rare instances, and on a case-by-case basis, mentees may request a change of mentor in an effort to find a more suitable match. The director must approve this change.
- In order to earn Engaged Learning Points, mentors and mentees must engage in the appropriate number of hours as designated by Engaged Learning program requirements.
- Mentors and mentees are expected to attend group activities and remain in contact with each other. In-person meetings and regular check-ups are required.
Staff/Assistant Director
Bart Luedeke Center, Ground Floor
williamshau [at] rider.edu
609-896-5000 ext. 7318
(he/him/his)
