Full metadata
Title
Efficacies of Peer-Mentorship in the First-Semester Undergraduate Experience in the Life Sciences
Description
First-semester student retention is a constant priority for undergraduate institutions. The transition to the collegiate level, and to a new scholastic program and format, is frequently challenging academically and socially—for this reason, many first-semester course schedules for incoming freshman undergraduates feature an introductory seminar to ease transition to an undergraduate lifestyle. Arizona State University features a required “Careers in the Life Sciences” course for its first-semester School of Life Sciences students, which has had tractable results in first semester student retention and academic success. Here, we evaluate a component of the seminar, the peer-mentorship program, for its efficacy in students’ first semester experience. Analysis of self-reports from 168 first-semester “mentees” and their 25 mentors indicates frequency of mentee-mentor contact was the best indicator of a higher first semester GPA, comfort with academic resources and study habits, and desire to engage in extracurricular activities and internships. These data indicate that access to a mentor who actively engages and verbally connects with their mentees is a valuable component of first-semester student academic integration and retention.
Date Created
2014-05
Contributors
- Mathews, Ian T. (Author)
- Capco, David (Thesis director)
- Clark-Curtiss, Josephine (Committee member)
- Harrell, Carita (Committee member)
- Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
- School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Topical Subject
Resource Type
Extent
44 pages
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Series
Academic Year 2013-2014
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.22862
Level of coding
minimal
Cataloging Standards
System Created
- 2017-10-30 02:50:57
System Modified
- 2021-08-11 04:09:57
- 3 years 2 months ago
Additional Formats