Honors College Peer Mentoring Program

The purpose of the Peer mentoring program is to help incoming students adjust to life at University of West Georgia and the Honors experience by enhancing group support and community within the Honors College.

Peer mentors are current upper division students in the Honors College that work with groups of 5-10 newly admitted Honors College students throughout the academic year.

In addition to small group meetings and events determined by the mentor/mentee groups, the Peer Mentors also work with the Honors Council, the student governing body of the Honors College to plan several large-scale meetings and community engagement events and help facilitate student involvement in these activities.

Peer MentoringObjectives, Details, and Application

Peer Mentoring Objectives

To enhance group support and community within the Honors College
To assist new students with transition to UWG
To encourage mutually beneficial, positive and lasting relationships between students
To provide peer mentors with opportunities for developing skills in leadership, group facilitation, communication and event-planning
To enhance mentees’ abilities to interact comfortably with people and groups from diverse backgrounds

Peer Mentor Details

Being a Peer Mentor is a great opportunity for upper division students to serve the Honors College community. Students serving as mentors will receive community engagement hours for their volunteer service. As such, peer mentors are expected to meet the following requirements:

Participate in a mandatory ½ day training session that will take place at the end of Spring Semester and a refresher training at the beginning of Fall Semester
Provide a picture and bio to be posted on the Honors College Website
Introduce yourself to your mentees prior to Fall Semester
Attend the Welcome Activities and Honors College Cookout before Fall classes begin to meet your mentees
Meet with mentees as a group at least 3 times each semester and help facilitate student involvement in and the planning of Honors College/Honors Council community engagement and social events
Maintain an open line of communication throughout the semester with mentees
Remind students about upcoming events and encourage students to attend programs sponsored by the Honors College and/or Honors Council
Refer students to campus resources
Log all contact dates you have with your mentees using the student contact form
Meet with the Honors College Advisor once a month before or after the designated Monday Night Honors events.
Attend Monday Night Honors events at 5pm; plan at least one Popcorn and Conversation series topic with Mentoring Group

Peer Mentor Application

All applicants must have completed at least 30 credit hours and be in good academic standing in the Honors College to be considered for the positions of Peer Mentor. If you are unsure of your Honors College Standing, please email honors@westga.edu.

We are now accepting applications for Peer Mentors for the 2023-2024 Academic year. To apply, click here. The application deadline is April 1st.

Peer Mentee Details

Students are assigned to mentoring groups with students with similar majors or majors within the same college.

Once paired, students will be provided with the name of their mentor. Before arriving on campus, students will receive an introduction email from their mentor and will have an opportunity to meet with their mentor at the Honors College Cookout before classes begin in August.

Throughout the academic year, there will be many opportunities for students to engage with their mentoring group through small group meetings and other Honors College meetings and events. We hope this program will allow students the opportunity to ask questions, meet new friends, get involved, build connections, and start to become part of the Honors College community of scholars.

Peer Mentoring Groups

Peer Mentoring Groups 2023-2024
Peer Mentor	Peer Mentor Group
Reece Cook, Nursing	Hi! My name is Reece Cook & I am a Pre-Nursing major with a minor in Biology. My time at the University of West Georgia Honors College has been one of the most invaluable experiences in my academic career. I am excited to be able to serve upcoming Honors College students as not only a Peer Mentor but also as a friend & helping hand. I am always here to help guide & navigate new students through this experience!
Sarah-Grace Edgeman, Psychology	Hi! My name is Sarah-Grace Edgeman, and I am studying psychology here at West Ga. I am so excited to be a part of the honors college program, and I am more excited to serve the upcoming honors college students as they make this transition. The honors college has given me a lot of opportunities, and made me more comfortable at college, and I hope I can help do the same for you guys! I’m here for all sorts of questions and concerns, and I’m ready to give you guys support throughout this year in this honors college!
Eva Fuhrey, Psychology and Anthropology	Hello! My name is Eva and I am a second year psychology and anthropology major! I am so beyond excited to help and guide incoming freshmen to success at the University of West Georgia's Honors College. From academic questions, to the best places to visit around campus I am ready to help as much as I can and make your first year magical.
India Garcia, Speech Pathology	Hello! My name is India Garcia and my major is speech-language pathology. I’m excited to welcome the new students to the Honors College! It’s a great program at UWG that helps connect hardworking students with like-minded peers and reach new heights. If you need any help, I’ll be sure to guide you on the right path and answer your questions. I hope that we can become friends and enjoy all the upcoming campus events!
Trystyn Hovey, Mathematics	Hi! My name is Trystyn Hovey, and I am a Mathematics major with a minor in creative writing. I’m so excited to work with all of you in the Peer Mentor program. This amazing program allows me to help you directly, giving me the resources I need to guide you. I hope that I can help you get comfortably settled in so that you can enjoy your experience here at the University of West Georgia and the Honors College as much as possible. I’m always ready to answer any questions and help in whatever way I can!
Haylee Milligan, Sociology	Hey! My name is Haylee Milligan and I am a Sociology major with a minor in Film and Video Production. I am so excited to be a peer mentor this year and I look forward to meeting incoming Honors students. I have lots of tips and tricks on navigating college classes, interacting with teachers, being an Honors student, working on campus, meeting new people, and exploring studying abroad. As a friend and resource, I want you to have the best college experience possible!
Jennifer Scott, Psychology & Anthropology	Hi, guys! My name is Jen Scott and I'm a dual major here at West: Psychology and Anthropology. I'm excited to welcome you to the Honors College and I look forward to getting to know one another! If you need help settling in, have any questions, or you just want to talk, I'm here to support you. - That's the greatest part about the program: establishing connections! Please let me know what I can do to make your journey more meaningful.
Riley Steptoe, Interdisciplinary Studies	Hello, my name is Riley Steptoe and I’m an Interdisciplinary Studies major following the Forensic Science and Investigation pathway. To me, being a peer mentor means offering guidance and ushering in a smooth transition to the University of West Georgia and the Honors College. If you have any questions or just want to reach out, don’t hesitate! I am looking forward to working with you and helping you start off your freshman year right!
Kamari Watson, Speech Language Pathology	Hi! My name is Kamari Watson and I am a speech-language pathology major. I have had an excellent time participating in the honors college program, which is why I can’t wait to welcome all of you! I will be here to guide you through both your entrance into this program and any other new experiences this coming year has to offer. Don’t hesitate to reach out, because that’s exactly what I’m here for.