Refractions in the end

In class this week, Megan and Corey discussed other groups on campus that use methods similar to ours and use peer mentors. Such groups were the Greek community, Big Brothers Big Sisters, tutors, and Honors. These groups are similar in that they promote education and leadership. However, these groups can be vastly different from the Hixson program as well. For example, Big Brothers Big Sisters promotes friendship between a “little” and a “big.” This cannot be the relationship between a peer mentor and a freshman Hixson scholar. In addition, Honors has a focus just on education. However, as Hixson peer mentors, we are responsible for things other than education such as adjusting to college, discussing roommates, and serving as a resource for information about campus.

            This week also came with the realization that we are almost finished with the course. There is still training to be done, but we are close to being assigned a recitation class for next semester. Realizing this, this makes me recall my mission statement, and how I plan to install the values of this course into the recitations next fall. I plan on encouraging diversity in the classroom while helping to eliminate or downplay stereotypes. In addition, I plan on bringing leadership to recitations in order to maintain control along with my co-leader. By displaying all the positive signs of a leader, we can fulfill the role of role model for the students. Also, I plan on helping my recitation session become a group with all the positive traits of a group such as cohesiveness, communication, and reward for finishing a project.

            Overall, I feel this course has helped me grasp a better understanding of what a leader is. I feel that this class will not only help me as a Hixson peer mentor, but it will help me in other aspects of my life. I can use it when I am working on a group project, or I can the information when I am studying for tests. Finally, I look forward to next fall, and I hope that my co-leader, and I can work together to insure that the entering freshmen get the best experience ever.