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Honors Mentor Program

Applications for the 2023 Honors Mentor Program are now open!

First time applicants to the program will submit a written application via Qualtrics. 

SUBMIT APPLICATION

Applications are due on Friday, January 27 at 11:59 PM. Applicants will be notified the week of February 6 as to whether they will be invited to attend a second-round interview, which will occur in late February.

Returning mentors will submit a request form via Qualtrics. They will receive the link to the request form via email on Monday, January 9.

Requests to return to the program are due on Friday, January 27 at 11:59 PM. Returners will be notified on Friday, February 3 as to whether they will be invited to return to the program.

Contact the program director, Dr. Katie Jarriel (kjarriel@purdue.edu) with any questions about the application process.

 

What is the Honors Mentor Program?

The Honors Mentor Program is a unique leadership development opportunity designed specifically for Honors College students.

The mission of the Honors Mentor Program is two-fold. First, the program provides peer mentorship to Honors students enrolled in the first-year Honors seminar HONR 19901: The Evolution of Ideas. Peer mentors serve these students by coaching them on how to work effectively in teams and how to successfully complete interdisciplinary projects. Peer mentors welcome these new students into the Honors community and help them transition to college life.

Second, the Honors Mentor Program provides its peer mentors with an enriched leadership development experience. The program’s unique curriculum couples the experience of project-team leadership with structured reflection, feedback, and self-directed learning activities. Mentors work closely with Honors faculty teaching The Evolution of Ideas. In this way, student leaders are given the tools they need to succeed in their roles, to maximize their learning, and to take ownership of their leadership development moving forward.

Our Approach to Leadership

The Honors Mentor Program follows a transformational approach towards leadership, with emphasis on empowerment, engagement, and inclusion. Each interaction is an opportunity for promoting teamwork and leadership skills , both for first-year students collaborating on course projects and for mentors developing their own personal style of leadership. The Honors Mentor Program has a strong community of peer support, and mentors are encouraged to develop peer networks, engage in program activities, and take agency in shaping the program. At all levels of the program, the importance of inclusion is paramount, with a recognition that inclusion requires empathy, social responsibility, and a willingness to act on behalf of others.



What experience can I expect as an Honors Mentor?

Curricular Experience: Mentors enroll in HONR 299: Honors Mentors, which provides instruction on recitation activities as well as leadership development. HONR 299 meets once a week for the first eight weeks of the Fall semester. Mentors also attend a section of HONR 19901, which meets twice a week for the first eight weeks of the Fall semester. Mentors choose an HONR 299 /19901 pairing that works for their schedule. For this commitment, mentors receive 2 credits.

Additionally, mentors participate in an annual program orientation that takes place the Sunday before the start of Fall classes. Mentors take a Diversity, Inclusion, and Allyship workshop between weeks 1 and 2 of the Fall semester.

Extracurricular Experience: Returning mentors are expected to participate in the interview process for program applicants in February. Other extracurricular opportunities such as coffee hours, workshops, etc., are offered by the Mentor Council starting in March, which are designed to help program participants further develop their skills and build a healthy mentor community. Mentors are expected to commit at least 30 minutes a week to engaging with the program’s extracurricular offerings.

Honors Mentor Roles & Learning Outcomes

Mentors serve teams of first-year students in the HONR 19901 courses, which involves six interrelated roles:

  • Mentors welcome first-year students into the Honors College community, helping its newest members gain a sense of belonging and understand the purpose and values of the college.
  • Mentors facilitate the healthy development of project teams and the successful completion of shared goals, i.e. course activities and projects.
  • Mentors assist Honors faculty in promoting first-year learning outcomes of collaboration, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary awareness.
  • Mentors take agency in their own development by learning leadership competencies, realizing their unique strengths, and applying strategies for developing their leadership knowledge and skills.
  • Mentors build community within the program, which creates an environment for solidarity and internal mentorship.
  • Mentors support the growth of other mentors by being attentive and empathetic; they provide ample amounts of encouragement and positive reinforcement; and they share freely their struggles, successes, and insights with one another

Through the performance of these roles, mentors achieve the following learning outcomes, which represent essential leadership practices:

  • Mentors will be able to facilitate healthy group development and create a strong, inclusive team culture.
  • Mentors will be able to communicate and lead others toward a shared purpose and goals.
  • Mentors will be able to develop teamwork and leadership skills in others.
  • Mentors will be able to employ strategies for self-understanding and continued leadership learning.

Mentors will gain knowledge of leadership competency language, which will allow them to better understand team and leadership development and more readily discuss it with others within and outside the program. Click here for a PDF of the Honors Mentor Program leadership competencies.