ASAP Program is Mutually Beneficial for Student and Mentor

CONTACT: ELIZABETH WOODS, EXT. 1565

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/6/2002
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- Beginning in January, first-year minority students who are experiencing academic difficulty in one or more subjects can participate in a mentoring program that can be mutually beneficial for both the student and the mentor.

The Academic Support Assistance Program, or ASAP, is the new initiative designed to pair mentors, who can be fellow students or persons living in the community, with minority students who are performing poorly in one or more subjects.

Access and Equity funds will be used to hire academic assistants, who will serve as mentors. "These folks can be professionals or retirees from the community or Tri-County students who have 30 academic credit hours and who are performing well in their studies," said Elizabeth Woods, a counselor in the Student Services Division.

Academic Assistants can earn a minimum of $7 per hour and will provide supplemental academic assistance in the following subjects: Spanish, chemistry, biology, math, and English. "We're asking participants to commit to working together for a minimum of one hour per week, and they can meet in person or do their work by phone or e-mail," said Ms. Woods.

Eight Academic Assistants are in place now, and the applications are continuing to come from the Personnel Office, said Ms. Woods. Assistants must be successful in their studies, be dependable, and have the time to devote to the students. Also, they must be good listeners and have good time management skills.

"I've had two faculty members, Ron Talley and Cinder Cooper, offer to serve as mentors," added Ms. Woods. "I would welcome additional volunteers from our faculty and/or staff," she added.

The goals of the program are for participants to maintain a 2.0 GPA and to improve their academic skills and enroll the next semester.

"Retention studies indicate that minority students who participate in mentoring programs are more likely to succeed academically and to complete their educational goals, explained Ms. Woods.

Also, the mentors can gain just as much as the students, said Ms. Woods. "It's professionally rewarding to guide someone through his or her learning process, whether it's in a college setting or the workplace. Most people who have achieved personal or professional success can identify a person who served as a mentor or coach to help guide them along their way. We want our students to enjoy the college experience and to feel connected to the college because they made some personal connection to someone here. The new mentoring program can be a vehicle for making some personal connections to someone on campus beyond the classroom."

Currently, the program is geared toward minority students, but Ms. Woods hopes similar mentoring programs may be developed for all students in the future.

She encourages interested students to apply early because space is limited. Ms Woods may be contacted at 646-1565 or by e-mail at ewoods@tctc.edu
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