As college students I’m sure we all recall when we first started school. There’s many emotions and questions on what will happen next. I remember asking myself “What if I don’t get the subject?” I anxious juggling through a busy work schedule and school. After getting through these classes I figured that it would be great if students had a support community where people can mentor and give us advice. This is where the UAGC Collaborative and Holistic Academic Mentoring for Peer Success (CHAMPS) comes in. This program is designed for students to have a space for mentorship and promotion of development. There are mentors and mentees that are matched to provide guidance and knowledge to new students.
Upper division students who have completed at least 24 undergraduate or 12 graduate credits with a minimum of 3.0 GPA can apply to become a CHAMPS mentor. You might be asking why you should volunteer? There are many benefits when you become a mentor. Once you sign-up and get accepted, you will attend an orientation on what to expect and how to proceed. Once you are matched with a mentee you will meet with them for an hour each week for 7 weeks. However, you can meet as much as you want and build relationships beyond the program. CHAMPS will also give you access to a community of other CHAMPS mentors, and you can have access to exclusive mentor events. You can really have an impact in the UAGC community through sharing your success, inspiring a mentee, development of your leadership experience, and expanding your network. But there is more! You can also potentially earn elective credits through CHAMPS Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program. What does this mean? It means that mentors can earn 1 elective credit for every 15 hours of mentoring!
CHAMPS has mentors for every degree level from undergrad all the way to your doctorate. The program will ensure that mentees are paired with mentors who have experience and have done their courses. Are you ready to join CHAMPS? You can join via UAGC Connect, click on “Programs” in the top of the menu bar, and request to join the CHAMPS Peer Mentoring- Orientation Program. Link below:
https://connect.uagc.edu/hub/uagc/programs/champs-group-template/about?showBack=true
If you have other questions about CHAMPS you can e-mail them at [email protected].
Hope to see everyone there!
John Gonzales
Director of Communications & Social Media
Forbes School of Business & Technology SHRM Chapter