Transforming the Honors College Experience at SUNY Brockport

Abstract

College is often a place where students are shaped in a way that allows them to find their true self. Oftentimes, a key influence in this process is a mentor. The relationship a student forms with a mentor can make or break their experience at college, which is why it is necessary to facilitate good mentoring relationships early on. In the SUNY Brockport Honors College, we attempt to do this through the Peer Mentor Program. However, with recent factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and leadership changes, this program, like many others, would benefit from an evaluation of its practices and effectiveness. To promote a better honors college experience, I will examine the mentoring literature regarding effectiveness and the impact an effective mentor can have on a student’s trajectory. Next, I offer strategies that work in the peer mentoring program for Academic Planning Seminar (APS) at SUNY Brockport based on an informational interview with the program’s director. Then, I pinpoint where it seems the Honors peer mentor program could benefit from improvement, based on an analysis of surveys and my own experience. Finally, I offer suggestions to the Honors College for what they can do to practically develop the program to its fullest potential, based on the combination of literature, surveys, interviews, and my knowledge of psychology and communication.