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PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn Bliss, Ph.D. LEAP Program Director Carolan Ownby, Ph.D. Director of Peer Advisors University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah
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Page 1: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better

Through Innovation and Assessment

Carolyn Bliss, Ph.D.LEAP Program Director

Carolan Ownby, Ph.D.Director of Peer Advisors

University of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah 

Page 2: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Definition of terms

• LEAP: the name for the University of Utah Freshman Learning Community

• Learning, Engagement, Achievement, Progress

• Also the leap to college

Page 3: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Definition of terms continued

Peer Advisor [also known as PA]: the name of the experienced student who helps the freshmen in LEAP

May be known on other campuses as Peer Mentor

Page 4: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Some unique aspects of the LEAP Peer Advisor program:

• PA gets paid

• Integrated presence of the PA in the classroom

Page 5: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Changes in the PA Program

• Need to give PAs enough to do ($$)

• Acknowledgment of talents of PAs 

• Growth of LEAP Program itself

• Outside recognition of the Peer Advisor Program

Page 6: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Ten Lessons I Have Learned

Page 7: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson # 1

• Peer Advisors should be fully utilized

• That’s a lot of Peer Advisors!  What should I do with them?

Page 8: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #2

• Peer Advisor role should constantly be evolving towards something better

Page 9: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #3

• Listen to Peer Advisors.  They are creative and energetic people, and if we allow them ownership of their role, wonderful results will follow

Page 10: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #4

• Learn from mistakes

Page 11: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #5

• Formalize the training.

• Summer online class

• Mandatory two‐day workshop

• Bimonthly meetings

Page 12: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #6

• Think outside of the box

Page 13: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #7

• Follow the obvious trail

• See You at the U

• LEAP 2003

Page 14: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #8

• Let the Peer Advisors teach each other how to lead

Page 15: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #9

• Let Peer Advisors fail

Page 16: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Lesson #10

• Reward excellence

• 3 scholarships

• Jan Frost award for most outstanding Peer Advisor

• Open door to other leadership opportunities

Page 17: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Next year

• Campus Spelling Bee to benefit Adult Literacy

• Publicity committee

• LEAP LAN

Page 18: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

THE ALLY PROGRAM

(“Advisors and Liaisons for the LEAP Year”)

• Impetus

• Features

• Evaluation

• Pilot program

• Moving on from here

Page 19: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Impetus

• Importance of the role of peers• Experience of other institutions with “success coaches”

• Vincent Tinto’s work on the importance of integration to retention and persistence to graduation

• Desire to honor the achievement of LEAP students and keep more of them connected to the program

Page 20: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Features

• Program pairs successful LEAP “alums” with freshmen for their first year

• The pairs ideally share interests, majors, or backgrounds

• Pairs meet once each week• The ALLY helps the student set reasonable goals and develop strategies to meet them

• ALLIES engage students with the campus and community

• ALLIES refer students to appropriate resources

Page 21: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Features (cont.)

• ALLIES meet as a cohort every two weeks

• ALLIES report to a peer supervisor

• ALLIES are paid $200/student/semester for up to three students

• ALLIES receive $50/student/semester to spend on activities with the student(s)

• ALLIES are trained in a 16‐hour workshop

Page 22: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Features (cont.)

• ALLIES introduce the program to incoming students early in fall semester

• ALLIES are offered to ALL incoming LEAP students• Some students are required to have ALLIES as a condition of their scholarships or academic standing

• ALLIES may earn credit toward Service Learning Scholar designation or Leadership Minor

• LEAP students offered extra credit for regular meetings with ALLIES

Page 23: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Evaluation

• ALLIES’ regular reports and final reflections

• Retention data on students with ALLIES

• GPA and credit hours of students with ALLIES

• Student assessment of experience

• Pre‐ and post‐tests of students skills based on the online “Academic Success” workshop required of students on academic warning or probation or the Student Readiness Inventory

Page 24: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

The Pilot Program

• One semester rather than two

• Aimed at students on academic warning

• Recruited 11 ALLIES but only 10 students willing to work with them

• ALLIES enjoyed and profited from the experience

• Effect on the students is less clear

Page 25: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Where do we go from here with ALLY?

• Program has been re‐authorized for next year• Next year’s ALLIES were recruited by this year’s group in the spring

• 45 students were interested in applying• Aim for next year will be to connect students with an ALLY for the entire year and keep them off academic warning

• Website established for contact with ALLIES• Recruitment material developed for use at Orientation sessions

Page 26: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

ASSESSING THE LEAP PEER ADVISOR PROGRAM

• The whole picture• Results of PA program assessment

Page 27: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Earlier Assessment Findings

• LEAP students are retained at higher rates than non‐LEAP students and are more likely to graduate within six years.

• LEAP students express greater satisfaction with their educations on the Senior Exit Survey than do non‐LEAP students.

• Differences are especially large on questions about appreciation of fine arts and humanities, creativity, getting along with and understanding the “other,” and verbal communication skills.

Page 28: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Assessment Findings (cont.)

• LEAP students’ admission indexes  are slightly lower than those of non‐LEAP students.

• LEAP spring survey results mimic those of the Senior Exit survey.

• The matching study compares non‐LEAP, LEAP, and PA students demographically matched for:– Age– Gender– High school attended– Cohort– Admissions index (+/‐ 5 points) 

Page 29: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Assessment Findings (cont.)

• Matching study compares for:– 1st and 2nd semester GPA– 1st and 2nd semester attempted and completed credit hours

– Fall to fall retention rate– Latest GPA– Graduation GPA for those who have graduated– Graduation rate– Number of credits at graduation

Page 30: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Assessment Findings (cont.)

• 1491 matches for non‐LEAP/LEAP garnered from 1999‐2006 entering students

• First semester:– GPAs: non‐LEAP 2.93/LEAP 3.04– Credits attempted: non‐LEAP 11.45/ LEAP 12.18– Credits completed: non‐LEAP 11.09/ LEAP 11.68

• Second semester:– GPAs: non‐LEAP 2.96 / LEAP 3.02– Credits attempted: non‐LEAP 11.07/ LEAP 11.19– Credits completed: non‐LEAP 11.30/ LEAP 11.46 

Page 31: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Assessment Findings (cont.)

• Retention and graduation:– Fall to fall retention: non‐LEAP 61%, LEAP 66%

– Number graduated so far: non‐LEAP 15%, LEAP 18%

– Six‐year graduation rate: non‐LEAP 43%, LEAP 57%

• Latest GPA: non‐LEAP 2.92, LEAP 2.95

• GPA at graduation: non‐LEAP 3.27,LEAP 3.28

Page 32: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Assessment Findings for PAs

• 29  PAs matched with 170 LEAP and non‐LEAP students• First semester GPAs:

– Non‐LEAP 3.00– LEAP 3.18– PAs 3.66

• First semester credits attempted:– Non‐LEAP 11.35– LEAP 12.09– PAs 12.90

• First semester credits completed:– Non‐LEAP 11.17– LEAP 11.79– PAs 12.86

Page 33: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

First Semester Experienceb=PA sig > Non‐LEAP; c=PA sig > LEAP; sig= p<.05

Page 34: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Assessment Findings for PAs (cont.)

• Second semester GPAs:– Non‐LEAP 3.08– LEAP 3.19– PAs 3.51

• Second semester credits attempted:– Non‐LEAP 11.13– LEAP 11.44– PAs  13.00

• Second semester credits completed:– Non‐LEAP 11.43– LEAP 11.46– PAs 12.87 

Page 35: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Second Semester Experienceb=PA sig > Non‐LEAP; c=PA sig > LEAP; sig= p<.05

Page 36: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Assessment Findings for PAs (cont.)

• Overall GPAs:– Non‐LEAP 3.12

– LEAP 3.12

– PAs 3.46

• Graduation rates to date:– Non‐LEAP 20%

– LEAP 22%

– PAs 45%

Page 37: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Overall GPA’sb=PA sig > Non‐LEAP; c=PA sig > LEAP; sig= p<.05

Page 38: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Graduation Rateb=PA sig > Non‐LEAP; c=PA sig > LEAP; sig= p<.05

Page 39: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

Possible conclusions:

• The more LEAP experiences students have, first as LEAP students and then as Peer Advisors, the better equipped they are to succeed in college.

• The Peer Advisor Program not only selects top students but helps them stay at that level of performance.

Page 40: PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better andleap.utah.edu/research-assessment/Peer Mentoring.pdf · PEER MENTORING: Making a Good Idea Better Through Innovation and Assessment Carolyn

For more information:

• www.leap.utah.edu: complete LEAP program

[email protected]: ALLY Program

[email protected]: LEAP Peer Advisors


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