Lean on me

A friend to count on: Peer mentor Courtney Larkin and first year student Maximilian Werner. (Bruce Bottomley Photo)

For a bright kid ready to embark on his university education, Maximilian Werner arrived at Dalhousie last September with a “million dumb questions,” he says sheepishly. What elective should I choose? What’s the best way to make friends? Where’s the best place for lunch?

But the nice part, says the first-year student from Germany, is that his peer mentor Courtney Larkin would respond to all of his queries.

“Whatever dumb question I had, she would answer,” says Mr. Werner, 19. “I am so grateful.”

Paired together through Dalhousie’s new Peer Partnership Program, the two have become fast friends. “I only came from Cole Harbour and I found first year overwhelming,” says Ms. Larkin, last year’s DSU president who is now back taking classes and finishing up her degree. “So really it’s the least I could do to help first years deal with all the little things university can throw at you.”

On Thursday evening, organizers thanked students who helped launch the new program in September with a dinner and awards presentation. The student engagement initiative has been in the works since October 2008 when a Senate committee brainstormed ideas to help new students transition better from high school to university life.

In its first year, 212 peer mentors took part, as well as about 500 first year students from four faculties: Management, Computer Science, Engineering and Science. As the program moves forward, organizers are hoping the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences will come on board. They also plan to delay its launch until after Orientation Week, to give students a chance to settle in during their first week at university, and extend the duration of the program over both the fall and winter semesters.

Way to go! Students recognized for their mentorship include Katherine Magee, Nada El Sayid (accepting for her friend Neil McPherson), Courtney Larkin and Kristen Chafe. Maximilian Werner, far right, spoke of the significance the program had in helping him settle into life at Dalhousie. (Bruce Bottomley Photo)

“We are inviting feedback on the program so we can improve it,” says Deborah Kiceniuk, associate director of Dalhousie’s Centre for Learning and Teaching.

Awards were given to recognize outstanding mentors from each of the participating faculties. Besides Courtney Larkin from the Faculty of Management, other mentors honored were Katherine Magee from Computer Science, Neil McPherson from Engineering and Kristen Chafe from Science.

“First year for me was definitely challenging,” says Ms. Magee, a science student who transferred to computer science. She says a PhD student she met in the faculty was patient with her questions and encouraging. “He had such an impact on me that I wanted to be that person for someone else.”

LINK: Peer Partnership Program