Three Gen Mentoring: Connecting Alumni, Peer Mentors, & First-Year Students

Many college mentoring programs pair students with either a peer mentor or an alumni mentor. This session will review a program which connects all incoming first-year students with both a peer and alumni mentor within a structured 15-week course environment.  This three-level approach addresses community connection, engagement, and career development from day one.  Using this model, Peer Mentors are paired with an Alumni Mentor, who also serves as an adviser to the freshmen mentees, offering a depth of advice, experience, and community. 

This session introduces the execution and benefits of this model and the opportunities presented when all first-year students have meaningful relationships with peers and alumni from day one. We will discuss: Research regarding the effectiveness and benefits of both peer mentoring and professional/alumni mentoring; quantitative and qualitative results impacting retention and engagement; and experience over the past 10 years and new program components for Fall 2021.