ISABELLA DISTEFANO
Special to The Leader
You may know there are new transfer students on campus, but did you know that there’s a Transfer Mentoring Program?
The program was created a few years back, disappeared and is now making a comeback to help new transfer students ease into the environment on campus.
“We want transitioning students to become comfortable with Fredonia … one of the outcomes that I would like is for mentors to build a trusting relationship with mentees, so they feel comfortable enough to reach out in regards to where resources are on campus,” said Josh Croxton, the assistant transfer academic advisor and the primary advisor for the Transfer Mentoring Program. “I wanted them to have that opportunity to have a peer to go to — not necessarily an adult because it can be scary … So really getting a student comfortable enough to ask questions with someone who had a similar experience.”
This fall semester, 14 mentors are helping a wide range of new transfer students.
They assist with sending out weekly emails to their mentees, answering questions and being a person for them to reach out to as well.
On Sept. 12 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., there will be a meet & greet event hosted by the Transfer Mentoring Program in the William Center, room S204B.
This is a chance for the mentees to meet their mentors.
It’ll be an opportunity for mentees to ask questions, meet other transfer students and enjoy a few snacks. Who doesn’t love free snacks?
There will be materials handed out to the mentees with valuable information during the event.
“We’re going to be building a resources guide for students. So in the event that students are having a mental healthcare issue, they can be referred, they can look and refer themselves to the counseling center here on campus,” said Croxton. “They’ll also recognize the fact that if they’re looking to do an internship, they’ll know where the Career Development office is on campus, as well amongst a wide variety of other resources that we are going to include on that resources guide.”
Out of the 14 mentors, there’s a few of them that are also interns for the program, in addition to doing their normal duties as a mentor. They will also assist with event planning and help to develop the program into something greater.
“One of the things that I’m really excited about is working with the interns, to really develop this program, because I feel like it’s the transfer students that will bring the ideas to the table and really create something that’s going to be unique for transfer students,” said Croxton.
If you have any questions, contact Croxton at joshua.croxton@fredonia.edu.