P.A.S.S. Mentor Orientation

P.A.S.S.Mentor Orientation Dean of Students Office Bloomsburg University

P.A.S.S. • P= Peers • A= Assisting • S= Student • S= Success P.A.S.S.

What is Mentoring? • Advises and guides a younger, less experienced person • A relationship that helps an individual grow and develop • Provide a support base and a sounding board for mentees

P.A.S.S.Mission Statement • The P.A.S.S. Mentoring Program connects students at Bloomsburg University to older, more experienced students who can provide consistent support, engagement opportunities, and encouragement on a one-to-one, and small group, basis in order to assist students in reaching their full potential.

Mentor Responsibilities • Commit to the program & your mentee • Meet regularly with mentee • Attend training sessions • Participate in Mentoring Program activities • Be a resource for the students • Be a source of positive reinforcement

Mentor Responsibilities (Cont’d) • Regular contact • This is not a counseling session and advice should be given as such

Mentee Responsibilities • Keep scheduled appointments and maintain regular contact with mentors. • Discuss with your mentor how often you both want to meet. • Take responsibility for own learning experience and keep the mentor updated on progress • Explain expectations of the relationship and be straightforward in all respects with the mentor. • Be realistic and maintain a positive attitude. • Participate in P.A.S.S. activities • Make an honest effort to succeed here at Bloomsburg University

Benefits for Mentors • Enhances skills in coaching, counseling, listening, and modeling • Helps connect faculty, staff, & peer mentors with new students more directly • Helps mentors understand problems/issues from the mentees’ point of view • Mentors feel needed/valued and are retained • Encourages effective and open communication

Benefits for Mentees • Makes students feel connected & confident • Provides role models • Increases retention • Produces higher GPAs • Increases student engagement

Mentor Tips Tip #1: Engage Your Mentee Your mentee may have information needs about the different University programs. Some helpful suggestions for addressing these issues are: • Start with your mentee’s questions and goals. • Determine what your mentee wants to know. • Present alternative approaches for reaching those goals. Don’t: • Tell everything you know about the subject. • Talk about “How it was in my day.” Stick to the present.

Mentor Tips Tip #2: Be the Listener Hearing is the easy part. Listening is a different story. Some helpful suggestions for listening: • Suspend judgment. • Acknowledge emotions. • Be empathetic. • Provide immediate feedback. • Acknowledge what you hear as well as what is not being said. Don’t: • Play the role of a therapist. • Concentrate only on your mentee’s emotions. • Solve the problem for your mentee.

Mentor Tips Tip #3: Provide A Helping Hand Sometimes offering a helping hand can serve as a way to find the bigger issue and promote a fuller discussion. Helpful ways to provide a helping hand: • Provide encouragement in multiple and timely ways. • Know when to ask the right question and how to convey the message, “You can do it.” • Talk through possible strategies. • Co-create opportunities. Don’t: • Prepare a script of what you should say. • Talk for the mentee in or out of the mentee’s presence.

Mentor Tips Tip #4: Keep The Relationship Going All too often people put a lot of energy into starting a relationship and assume that because of initial effort, the relationship will continue to develop. Relationships require effort and persistence. Keep putting energy in to your mentoring relationship so that you sustain a beneficial relationship. Don’t leave it up to your Mentee to contact you when they need assistance!

Mentor Tips Tip #5: Do Not Be Afraid To Be A Mentor. You know a lot about Bloomsburg University and what it has to offer students. Don’t be afraid to lead them in the right directions instead of giving them the answers.

Mentor Tips Tip #6: Do Not Expect To Have All The Answers. Sometimes you may not know the answer to a problem or question, that’s OK. Sometimes listening is all people need. If the question requires an answer you do not know don’t be afraid to go to someone who would know.

Mentor Tips Tip #7: Avoid Being Overwhelmed With Your Mentee’s Problems Your mentee could be dealing with a lot of extra weight at some point in their college life. The last thing they need is for you to feel like their problems are too much for them. Remain calm and try to help solve some of those problems. If you need help, talk to a supervisor.

Mentor Tips Tip #8: RESPECT CONFIDENTIALITY Anything your mentee talks about with you should remain between the two of you. Also, understand that if your mentee exhibits signs that they may be a threat to themselves or others you are to tell a supervisor immediately.

Other things to keep in mind… • 1. Make yourself available • 2. Establish set times to meet • 3. Be yourself and allow your mentee(s) to be themselves • 4. Follow through on commitments • 5. Identify the expectations that your mentee has of you • 6. Inform your mentee of your expectations • 7. Help your mentee establish educational, personal, and social goals for the academic year • 8. Monitor your mentee(s) progress • 9. Develop a purpose for most one on one meetings • 10. Attend events with your mentee • 11. Volunteer information; do not always wait to be asked • 12. Be careful not to talk down to your mentee • 13. Have a positive attitude

Avoid… • Irregular Meetings &/or Communication • Lack of focus • Inadequate considerations for contact • Breach of Confidentiality

Initial Meeting • Contact and identification of each other • Discussion of mentor/mentee expectations • Discussion of goal setting activities to assist in achievement of mentees educational objectives • Necessary paperwork • Profile • Confidentiality • Important Numbers

Engagement Opportunities on Campus • http://www.bloomu.edu/campus_calendar • Schedule for the semester on Dean of Students P.A.S.S. page

Engagement Opportunities Off Campus • Renaissance Jamboree • Farmer’s Market • Town Park • Town Pool • Bloomsburg Fair • Important: Do not drive students in your personal vehicle!!

Sample Engagement • Weekly contact (face-to-face, facebook, email, text messages) • University Events • Meal times (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Weekend Brunch) • Library Study Sessions • Meeting at the Rec to workout • P.A.S.S. Workshops

Typical Concerns(Provided By Texas State University) • Friends & connections • Academic success • Adjusting to college (home sickness) • Finances • Opportunities (Jobs, involvement on campus) • Life skills • Avoiding negative situations

Workshops • Academic Skills • Budgeting • Career Thoughts • Relaxation Skills • What can you bring to P.A.S.S.?

Offices on Campus • Academic Advisement • http://bloomu.edu/advisement • Career Development Center • http://bloomu.edu/careers • Counseling Center • http://bloomu.edu/counseling • DAWN Office • http://bloomu.edu/dawn • Health Center • http://bloomu.edu/health

Office on Campus (cont’d) • Off Campus Housing • http://reslife.bloomu.edu/studentstandards/offcampus • Registrar • http://bloomu.edu/registrar • Residence Life Office • http://reslife.bloomu.edu • Student Standards • http://reslife.bloomu.edu/studentstandards • Tutoring • http://departments.bloomu.edu/uts/ • Women’s Resource Center • http://bloomu.edu/wrc • Writing Center • http://bloomu.edu/writingcenter

Final Tips for Mentors • Have realistic expectations • Don’t expect an instant connection in a short period of time • Do a wrap up with your mentee to find out how they enjoyed their experience • Provide suggestions for improvement

Resources • Texas State University • http://www.vpsa.txstate.edu/programs-and-services/Mentoring-Program/History.html • Bloomsburg University Multicultural Center • Hardcopy Resources • Seton Hall-Peer Assistant Program • http://www.shu.edu

Bloomsburg University Dean of Students Office 570-389-4734 stgarlss@bloomu.edu

P.A.S.S. Mentor Orientation