Knowing where to go next is essential when heading toward a destination. With college being a journey of sorts, it’s important to have a navigation system. And that’s why UM-Dearborn started the Wolverine Mentor Collective.
The Wolverine Mentor Collective (Wolverine MC) is a new mentoring program for first-year, second-year and transfer undergraduate students.
“With many of our students coming to campus this fall for the first time — that’s our students from Summer 2020 until now — we wanted to welcome them in a meaningful way that immediately helped them make connections,” said Dean of Students Amy Finley. “Campus is their home away from home. We want them to know it and love it.”
To help students get familiar with campus life, each person who signs up for the Wolverine MC will get a junior or senior student mentor. Each person will take a survey so pairs have similarities, which can be personal, academic or identity related — and most often a mixture of all three.
The mentor will help guide newer students throughout the 2021-2022 academic year and will answer questions or provide advice — or steer to the right contact if they are unsure — about classes, getting involved, where to go for assistance and more. In addition to having a go-to resource, students will connect monthly for check-in meetings to see a friendly face and share experiences.
“If you haven’t been on campus, you often don’t know the ropes and haven’t had time to build relationships yet. This way these students have a person they are comfortable reaching out to — through texting, emailing, calling, Zooming — for help,” Finley said. “The mentoring program cuts out the frustration of not knowing, leads to faster solutions and hopefully, over time, builds friendships. These are people with similar interests, so we hope our newer students will gain friend networks through this program.”
Currently more than 100 upper-level students have signed up to be mentors, but Wolverine MC is still seeking additional people interested in the role. Students can sign up to become mentors. After signing up, a UM-Dearborn staff member will reach out to you to give more information. Each mentor will be eligible to be compensated with a $100 stipend.
For students interested in gaining a mentor for the year, you can read more about the Wolverine MC, email questions to [email protected] or sign up.
The Wolverine MC program is a partnership between Experience+ and the Division of Student Affairs.
