The Multicultural Student Affairs Peer Mentor Program is seeking help fromHispanic upperclassmen.
The program, which is the oldest peer mentoringprogram at N.C. State, has felt the influx of Hispanic and Latinostudents.
The Peer Mentor Program started in 1982 and was a program established to helpblack freshmen make a smooth transition into the University, accordingto Multicultural Student Affairs Department Director Tracey Ray.
In 2001, the department expanded its program to include American Indians, and in 2002, it expanded the program to Hispanic students.
The program includes 165 mentors and approximately 400 mentees, thestudents being mentored, but even with these large numbers comes someshort-comings in certain areas.
“So far, we [have a good number of mentors], but we have a need formore Hispanic and Latino mentors,” Ray said. “We’ve run short in termsof representation of their community.”
Nate Banks, a sophomore in political science, is Venezuelan-Americanand said he appreciates programs such as MSA’s Peer Mentoring Program.
“[Peer Mentoring] sounds like a good program. In a bigger university,it’s more necessary. It’s good to have a person to look out for you,”Banks said.
Antoinette Russell, a junior in communication, was a mentee last yearand thinks others, especially Hispanics, can grow from the experience.
“I admire N.C State for reaching out to [Hispanics],” Russell said. “It’s importantthat we don’t let the Hispanic population get lost in the crowd andthey should be encouraged to get involved at N.C State.”
Because many Hispanic cultures have close knit families, it may bedifficult for them to transition into college life.
“We help transition them into N.C. State quickly. In high school, theyhave a circle of support, such as a church, family or friends,”Ray said. “When they come to college… they lose a lot of that support. Ourgoal is to help create a positive circle of support for them.”
Banks said he has felt more than welcome at NCSU and believes Peer Mentoring is an indicator of the the University’s growing diversity. “It’s good to have programs like [Peer Mentoring]. This shows thegrowth of the Hispanic population… It adds diversity to the University,” Banks said.
Though Peer Mentoring is short on Hispanic mentors, upperclassmen ofall races are welcome as long as they maintains a 2.5 grade pointaverage or higher and has been at the University for at least one year,according to Ray.
“We have mentors [of all races]. Also, first and foremost, we matchmentors and mentees by college and major, then by proximity, such asthe closeness of residence halls,” Ray said.
