Career Center introduces peer to peer counseling to students
The program, modeled after similar organizations at Georgia State University and Berry College, will take full effect at the beginning of February.
“We needed a program to bridge the gap between the office and students,” Mary Roberts, director of the Career Center, said. “Students feel more comfortable working with other students.”
The program is comprised of six students who, according to Roberts, exhibited excellent qualifications.
“All the students that completed the application process and interview were chosen,” Roberts said. “They all brought good ideas to the table and seemed really excited.”
Amy Gilbert, a senior public rhetoric major, is one of the six peer advisors.
“It’s a really good opportunity to get ready for the real world,” she said. “It’s also an opportunity to help students figure out that they have more options than they may realize.”
The other five peer advisors are sophomore mass communication majors Caroline Davis and Fabianna Field-Green, sophomore marketing and management major Roslyn Ellis, junior liberal studies major Kaitlyn MacDonell, and junior mass communication major Marianna Miller.
Currently the six students are undergoing a training process intended to prepare them to help their fellow students in areas such as résumés, mock interviews, and internship and job searching.
“(Training) is helpful because it puts us in the position the students we will be helping out are in,” Gilbert said. “It helps us to relate to what they are going through.”
The training will be completed in the first week of February, but the peer advisors are already beginning to spread the word about the program around campus.
“I’m going to speak to a class already next week,” Gilbert said.
Roberts said that peer advisors will be available to speak to classes, residence halls and student organizations. To book a speaker contact Jennifer Cash, the assistant director of the Career Center.
“You’ll see (the peer advisors) around campus,” Roberts said. “They will be in blue Career Center polos, and they’ll be around for events and have tables set up.”
CPA’s first table will be set up on Jan. 27 with Geico.
“We’ll be around campus and we’re really excited to start helping people out,” Gilbert said. “We’ll have office hours posted and just be available to other students who will take advantage this.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Jan 23 2009. Filed under News.
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