By: Gina Carfagno ~Staff Writer~

Incoming first years will have a new opportunity to find guidance on campus during their first year through the new Xavier Peer Leader program.

 

In a joint effort between the Office of Student Involvement, Office of Retention and Parent Outreach and the undergraduate office in the William College of Business, a new program has been developed for undergraduate first-years to be mentored by junior and senior upperclassmen.

 

The Williams College of Business has been running a program with their first-year students this year and now the opportunity will be expanded to include the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Social Science, Health, and Education.

 

The program brings together four first-year students with an upperclassman leader who will help guide the first years throughout the year. Peer leaders will meet with their first-years at least once a month, help answer questions, connect them with offices on campus and support them as they get involved at Xavier.

 

The number of first-years able to participate in this program will depend upon how many Peer Leaders are recruited. All Williams College of Business students will get partnered up with an upperclassman. However, first years in other schools will have the opportunity to sign up on Road to Xavier during the summer.

 

“We are looking for all types of students to apply to be a Peer Leader,” Assistant Director of Student Involvement for Leadership and Orientation Molly Dugan said.

 

“We want a diverse group of Peer Leaders in all aspects of the word, so we encourage all students to consider this as a great way to assist the new Xavier students in becoming a part of our community,” Dugan said.

 

To become a peer leader in the Williams College of Business, students must be rising seniors. For other schools, students must be rising juniors or seniors.

 

Peer Leaders will have to go through spring training and participate in online modules over the summer. Restrictions and criteria are detailed on the One App site http://www.xavier.edu/oneapp. The application for non-business students is also on this site and is due Feb. 14.

 

If a student has used the One App already for another application and would like to send it for Peer Leaders as well, contact Molly Dugan or Colleen Blevins. For business students, the application is on the Williams College of Business website and due Feb 7.

 

Students with questions can go to Ann Schmidt or Laura Frazier. Information sessions will take place at 3 p.m. on Feb. 10, 10 a.m. on Feb. 10 and 4 p.m. on Feb. 13 all located in Smith 344. Williams College of Business Peer Leaders are required to attend one session and other schools are encouraged to join.