Each year, the fullCIRCLE Mentoring Program in the Office of Multicultural Affairs welcomes a new cohort of first-year and transfer students as fullCIRCLE mentees, connecting the students to peer mentors who serve as consistent support and positive role models. The program will welcome its sixth cohort of mentees at the start of the 2017-18 academic year, and current students who are interested in serving as a mentor are encouraged to apply now.
fullCIRCLE serves undergraduate students with an emphasis on Black/African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx American and Indigenous/Native American students. The program aims to support the holistic development of students of color through intentional relationships with peers, faculty, staff, alumni and employers, and promotes academic success, identity development, community leadership and social responsibility. The multilayered mentor system supports students’ academic, social, professional and personal growth.
“I decided to join fullCIRCLE during my freshman year because I wanted to meet more students of color on campus while also being a part of a community,” says Chris Tavares, a sophomore in the College of Visual and Performing Arts who now serves as a fullCIRCLE peer mentor. “fullCIRCLE means a lot to me because it connected me with a peer mentor who was not only a mentor, but a friend, an ally and a role model.”
Peer mentors play a critical role in a mentee’s overall success at the University by helping the mentee adjust to components of college life. Peer mentors engage their mentees in skill development and community building. Many of the mentees become peer mentors themselves after completing their first year in the program.
Ashani Logan, a senior in the School of Architecture, joined fullCIRCLE as a mentee, became a peer mentor, and now is a peer mentor advisor, serving as a leader within the program and supporting mentors. He credits the program for developing his leadership skills and encourages others to get involved.
“fullCIRCLE is a place where you can have fun, smart discussions in a positive environment not only with people that look like you and share similar views, but also have the opportunity to guide a first-year or transfer student mentee on how to get acquainted with SU,” says Logan. “This program is for you.”
As a peer mentor, students undergo training, maintain weekly contact with their mentees, and serve as a connector to University resources. To participate, mentors must maintain a 2.5 GPA or above, be willing to learn about the Office of Multicultural Affairs, become familiar with campus resources, be passionate about issues that affect students of color and marginalized communities, and actively participate in fullCIRCLE events.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 11:59 p.m. Students can access the peer mentor application online.
For more information, visit the Office of Multicultural Affairs website or email fullCIRCLE@syr.edu.
