Abstract
Examining how to maximize the benefits of mentoring is important in order to improve college students’ success. I am investigating the effects of peer mentoring on at-risk students’ experience in college. In the present study, 102 ethnically diverse students, taking a lower level Psychology course were matched using ethnicity, GPA, major, and completed credits. Half of each matched pair participated in six weekly mentoring sessions during the first half of the class. The remaining students will receive mentoring during the second half of the class. Half of the students have mentors who share their race and the other half have mentors who do not share their race. During the first week of class, after the six weeks of mentoring, and at the end of the class students completed surveys evaluating Civic Engagement, Openness to New Friendships, Leadership Orientation, Academic Orientation, Grit, Openness to Diversity, Sense of Campus Climate, and Connection to College. Student success will be evaluated through grades, attendance, participation, and responses to reflective writing assignments. I hypothesize that mentoring will be associated with increased student success and that having a mentor who is of the same race will lead to more positive changes than having a mentor who is of a different race.
