The document provides details for an orientation session for peer mentors at Utah State University. It includes an agenda with topics such as the roles and responsibilities of peer mentors, effective listening skills, FERPA regulations, a peer mentor code of ethics, planning class sessions and office hours, and details about night activities for new students during orientation week. Peer mentors are also given instructions on tasks like handing out lanterns for the luminary event and building the large "A" formation on the quad. The document aims to prepare the peer mentors for their duties in assisting new students transition to USU.

1. Try to sit by someone you don’t know!

2.  Jacob Van den Akker
 Lisa Hancock – Director of Student Orientation and Transition Services
 Peggy Brown – Staff Assistant
 Ashley Abarca and Sydney Bentall – Student Coordinators
 Kylee Hopkin – Program Coordinator (teaching 7 week session)
 Nate Jensen – Program Coordinator (teaching traditional session)
 Heidi Kesler – Director of Student Retention and Completion (will be talking later)

3.  Think to yourself why we have peer mentors?
 1 minute – meet your neighbor, and share with them.
 What did they say?
 What do students need to know/be mentored on?
 3 minutes – groups of 4 discuss.
 What did you come up with?

4.  Why do your students
have YOU?
 Write down some things
you are going to do: what
kind of mentor you will be,
and why you are going to
be that kind.

5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24HqSC9antg

6.  Really setting a culture for OUR
Utah State University Community.
 Students of Concern and Sexual
misconduct reporting. (my.usu.edu)
 Will learn more in bystander
intervention training later today
 Show them what it means to be
an Aggie!

7.  “The peer adviser was excellent. She was
always able to answer my questions and I
feel comfortable to ask her questions. All
of her advice was really useful. Some of
the most helpful content was the
instagram contest for finding our classes.
That way I didn't worry about finding my
classes on the first day of class.”
 “I didn't really learn anything from my
teacher.... But I loved it when we had the
peer mentor come in to class and
basically tell us what was great at the
university and how we could get
involved!”
 “Our peer mentor also helped us because
she would talk about campus from her
personal experiences and share videos
and stories with us about traditions and
activities to become involved on campus
which makes a major difference.”
 “(my peer mentor) always took time for
me when I had technology issues,
questions, needed someone to vent to,
they were always there. This definitely
helped me with the transition knowing
that there are people rooting for my
success.”
 “Getting to know Logan and Utah State
campus from my peer mentor and his
personal experiences was awesome!”
 “Connections and especially my peer
mentor were crucial to my transition and
learning about how to get involved in
Logan, and at USU!”
 “Was beneficial because then there was
someone who had been in our shoes and
someone that we could relate to. They
helped me feel like I belong here.”

8.  Why am I here?
 What is an educated person? How does an educated person contribute to his or her community?
 What role does general education play in educating a person?
 What role does the major play in educating a person?
 How do I best engage myself in the process of becoming an educated person?
 What does an intentional student look like?
 What competencies do I need to develop in order to succeed?
 What resources are available to help me succeed?
 How do I become a fully engaged member of the university community?
 What opportunities are there for me to have fun and to become more invested in the university
community? (clubs and organizations)
 What is a learning community, and how do I go about building one?
 What are the benefits of a common literature experience?

10.  5 levels of listening
 Ignoring- self focused
 Pretend- self focused
 Selective- self focused
 Planning self focused
 Empathic- Them focused
 Talk less, listen more.

11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkmmZmbbBVo

13.  Sign and pass to your right. Look at number 10 and 11.
 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) means you
are to protect all student information that you are given.
http://www.usu.edu/registrar/ferpa-info

14.  Code of Ethics
 Peer Mentor Code of Ethics
 1. By accepting this position, you have made a commitment to the University. If you do not complete the training and
entirety of your responsibilities, you may be responsible for reimbursing any current expense incurred or future
investments made by the University for your service in this position.
 2. Each peer mentor will be given quizzes on material covered in the Canvas training. A passing score of 80 percent or
higher must be received on each quiz.
 3. Each peer mentor is responsible to all members of Student Orientation and Transition Services professional,
student, and clerical staff, and is accountable to all professional and clerical staff of the University.
 4. A peer mentor is a representative of USU and the administration. You must not encourage participation in
questionable activities during orientation sessions, Connections, or training sessions. In order to provide quality
performance while on duty, the Orientation staff members must not drink alcoholic beverages or use any controlled
substances during the 24 hours prior to or during Connections sessions.
 5. Peer mentors must not promote the use of alcoholic beverages directly or indirectly. When chaperoning/facilitating
orientation activities, any discovery of alcoholic beverages should be reported to campus police.
 6. The peer mentor must remain in his or her area of responsibility. Please do not leave for any reason (e.g. library,
class, parties, study, etc.).

15.  7. Absence from training sessions or class is excused only by the program coordinator.
 8. Peer mentors should be careful about their reactions to what a new student or parent says.
 Example: Do not use extreme words or phrases to describe faculty members, staff, or any university policy.
 9. Promote all organizations with words such as: your interests, your choice, everyone is different. Remember, DO NOT WEAR OR DISPLAY
ORGANIZATIONAL PARAPHERNALIA, as this unfairly promotes specific organizations.
 10. Peer mentors should make the appropriate referrals. The students should see his or her advisor, dean, or counselor for academic advising.
Do not recommend instructors; let the new students make educated decisions. You may give your opinion based on your experience. Only
describe a professor’s lecture and test style.
 11. Respect the confidentiality of student records and other records in this position. Inappropriate and unauthorized disclosure of student
records data is grounds for immediate dismissal.
 12. Do not make inappropriate social and/or sexual advances toward new students. Do not sexually harass new students, staff, or faculty
members. If a peer mentor is made aware of any sexual misconduct, they will report it immediately.
 13. Offensive language, jokes, behavior, or activity will not be tolerated at any function. Such activity has potentially degrading and divisive
effects, and is not acceptable in the context of the relationships among Peer mentors, or between peer mentors and students, faculty, and staff.
 14. Peer mentors found guilty of infractions will, on the first infraction, have a consultation with the Program Administrator. On the second
infraction, the mentor is subject to dismissal.
 15. Peer mentors must follow through on their assigned responsibilities, be punctual, and be present at all required Connections sessions.
 16. Peer mentors must use electronic devices only for job-related responsibilities during their time on the clock. This is mainly done on the
honor of the peer mentor since it is impossible to police cell phone usage, etc.

17. Campus tours

18. Student Panels: Try to
not get random
students but other
Peer Mentors.
But don’t spend all
your time on other
people’s panels!

19.  Role as a TA:
 Grading
 Assist, not teach for Instructor.
Support for students
 Presentations not the whole class
 Jeopardy boards and buzzers in
our office
 Buying things and Purchase
Orders (PO’s)
 Tax exempt
 Itemized receipt

20.  Candy
 Give them your contact info
 Cell phone numbers if you want,
remember Ethics
 Take role and find no shows!
 Nametag Plan. Never use Canvas for
role, but use have your instructor use
Banner.
 Individual meetings with students—
be safe and wise
 Aggie Passport

21. 10:45

22. 1. Plan a class party
2. Remember birthdays
3. Individual emails
4. Write cards
5. Remember names
6. Find commonalties
7. Tell personal stories
8. Be vulnerable
9. Be open with thoughts
10. Listen to them
11. Ask for hopes and fears
12. Comfort them
13. Talk with them outside of class
14. Invite them to activates
15. Come up with secret handshake
16. Teach them the Scotsman

23. • Know the General Catalog
http://catalog.usu.edu
• Dates and deadlines
• Blue Book
• Instructor Room list and PM
cell phones

24.  Ashley Abarca ashley.hill@usu.edu 435-219-5735
 Sydney Bentall sydney.longhurst@usu.edu 435-881-9042
 Peggy Brown peggy.brown@usu.edu 435-797-1712
 Lisa Hancock lisa.hancock@usu.edu 435-760-9356
 Kylee Hopkin kylee.hopkin@usu.edu 214-606-7856
 Jacob Van den Akker jacob.vandenakker@usu.edu 801-654-8601

25. Knee Length (Minimum) bottoms.
T-Shirt
Wednesday and Thursday – Peer Mentor Shirt
Friday – Game day Shirt
Working night activities, wear the shirt of that day
Nametag

26. • Sign up for them. Link is in Canvas Course on 3rd to last page, “Office Hour and
Weekly Email”.
 Strongly encouraged to set up appointments during connections week.
 Every week you don’t have a follow up session. Office hours held in TSC 105.
 Three total office hours.
 Six-week Curriculum
 Week 1 - Integration, Aggie Passport and campus unity
 Week 2 - Bystander intervention, sex + respect.
 Week 3 - Schedule habits
 Week 4 - Mental Health
 Week 5 - Academic habits-study and meeting professors
 Week 6 - Resources and Resiliency
 Discussions how to have effective office hours

27. • Suggested Timeline for Office hour
• Open and update your student tracking excel spreadsheet. Keep notes on how the
student is doing, things they are worried about, and when the time comes, if they are
registered for spring classes. (Create this and store it in Box or another secure
location.)
• Reach out to students that you have not had a lot of contact with recently.
• Arrange appointments for these students; ensure accuracy of future office hours.
• Meet with students.
• Be creative to make students feel like they are part of something and thought about.
• Fill out your office log as the last part of your office hour (this is not suggested,
this is required).

28.  Weekly Emails send Monday
 Email prompt, add jacob.vandenakker@usu.edu and your instructor to the list.
 Six Week Curriculum
 Integration, Aggie Passport and campus unity
 Bystander intervention, sex + respect.
 Schedule habits
 Mental Health
 Academic habits-study and meeting professors
 Resources and Resiliency
 A brief prompt will be sent to you for your weekly email.
 BCC your students. Add jacob.vandenakker@usu.edu and your instructor.
 Week 6, send individual emails in addition to weekly email.

29. First list sent by end of Wednesday.
Send an email by Friday.
Class list will change!

30. Help students
realize they need to
come, and you will
be there too.

31. • https://aggietime.usu.edu/
• 1-15th and 16-31st of each month. Will be paid around the 10th and
25th of each month.
• Submit before the end of each pay period.
• Things that Count
• Work done in office hour
• Time spent with students
• Sending weekly emails
• Planning with instructor

32. 11:05

33. Class schedule
Check-in on Tuesday
Class Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday
Friday night Luminary
3 Follow up Sessions

34. Wednesday- 7am – TSC 105
Thursday- 8 am – TSC 105
Friday- 8 am – TSC 105
Friday Night- 8:30 pm – Spectrum
(Have stuff ready before Pre-meetings)

35. Night activities (if you are not signed up to work, you aren’t paid, but should still come)
 Tuesday
 7 p.m. – Blue White Volleyball game – Estes Center
 8:30 p.m. and Power Hour Dance w/ NEHMA – ARC patio
 Wednesday
 4:30 – 8:30 p.m. – Taste of Logan
 Thursday
 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. – Connect with College – Various locations
 7:00 p.m. – Comedian Magician – TSC Ballroom
 Friday
 9:00 p.m. – Luminary (Required) – Spectrum
 10:00 – 2:00 p.m. – ARC night
 Saturday
 2:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Blue goes green at first dam
 8:30 p.m. – Pep Rally at stadium

36. Want to help? Sign up to work these events with the
following people:
Taste of Logan: Ashley
ARC night: Ashlyn
Pep Rally: Eli
Magician ushers: Sydney

37. Link to last year’s promo video.

38.  Get lanterns to spectrum and hand them out as
your class comes in. Talk to instructor about pre-
folded ones or flat ones.
 Flat ones grab from Lisa’s office on Wednesday.
 Folded ones grab from Lisa’s office on Friday.
 Handing out lights.
 Don’t do this until I tell the crowd to.
 Exiting and procession
 Bottom classes leave first, then the next class up.
 Exit using south and east doors.
 Walk to the Quad
 Building the A – Find Kylee, and will outline “A”.
 ARC night

39.  Come to it! Get your class there!
 Enter in the NW Gate seen below
STAGE