By Kelsey R. Brummels, CSC College Relations
CHADRON – Last fall, Chadron State College launched a pilot Eagle Mentor Program to assist freshman with their transition to college. By helping to make students’ first year at CSC successful, the program is expected to strengthen the number who return to the college as sophomores.
Student Activities Coordinator Megan Northrup oversees the program and its development. She said the idea originated as part of the college’s Strategic Enrollment Management Plan. Northrup works alongside Student Affairs Graduate Assistant Gabriela Perez, who is responsible for supervising mentor-mentee relationships and providing resources and training to mentors.
During the pilot, 18 students mentored 180 randomly selected freshmen, according to Northrup, and each mentor designed his or her own mentoring approach.
CSC student Emily Hansen, a junior from Hemingford, Nebraska, served as a mentor and said the program provided trial-and-error situations.
“Since we were a part of the pilot program, it was a lot of figuring out what works,” Hansen said. “I met with my mentees at lunch, in The Hub, in my room, and at sporting events. It was really rewarding, especially to see mentees buy into the program. By the end of the 10 weeks, they were more open and willing to share.”
Sixty freshman students were considered active in the program. Of those students, 95 percent re-enrolled for the Spring semester. Overall, the Fall 2019 entering freshman class yielded an 86.72 percent persistence rate, according to Northrup.
Positive survey responses from mentees included the benefits of knowing people around campus, being more comfortable asking questions and attending activities, and feeling more at home at CSC.
With its focus on social development and campus activity engagement, the program is vital to student success, Perez said.
“I hope it offers a welcoming experience for all freshmen students that encourages them to continue their education at Chadron State College,” Perez said. “I can personally relate because having a peer to connect with would have helped my transition to college life and living in Chadron.”
With its first year under wraps, Northrup said she hopes to see the program continue to grow.
“My hope is that the Eagle Mentor Program can continue to expand to help more freshmen in their transition to life at CSC as well as providing more sophomores and upperclassmen a leadership opportunity on campus,” Northrup said. “Although the program is very new, I truly believe in this program and the impact that it has on both the mentors and mentees. With a new generation of students, we need to continue to develop new ways of reaching students and providing the best experience we can at CSC.”
The Eagle Mentor Program is set to serve all freshmen in Fall 2020 with the help of 30 Eagle Mentors. CSC students interested in serving as mentors can contact Northrup at [email protected] for an application.