University of North Texas

Anne Shepler, above right, associate professor of mathematics, often sees the “I don’t get it” look in her students.

But last fall, she received more class participation from students in her Discrete Mathematics course, and the students didn’t feel so isolated.

“They’re with me every step,” she said.

She credits the change to the peer mentors program for the Learning Communities, which began in 2012 in the College of Arts and Sciences. An upperclassman works with a group of 20 to 30 freshmen who share the same major and belong to at least one class together. The mentors answer students’ questions, hold study sessions and even host social events. Shepler’s peer mentor, senior math major Kimberly Anderson, above left, is continuing to work with her this semester.

The program, achieves two of UNT'S four bold goals: bold goal No. 1 – providing the best undergraduate experience in Texas — and, with its collaboration between faculty and staff, bold goal number three – becoming a national leader in student support and service to constituencies.

“It started out as an experiment,” Shepler said. “It’s turned out to be a spectacular success.”

The primary responsibility of the peer mentors is to connect students to the university, department and each other. The students were hired before summer and met their mentees at freshman orientation. Before classes started, they communicated through a Facebook group so students can ask questions and mentors posed trivia questions about their major.

As the school year began, the students meet with the mentors biweekly and formed study groups. The biology mentors hosted a weekly study session in the Willis Library’s CyberCafe, bringing hot chocolate to students. The political science mentors organized a Presidential Debate watching party in 2012. The groups also met in organic ways — such as lunch or football games.

“That sense of community happens throughout the semester,” said Julie Kirkland, right, assistant dean for Student Success, who helped organized the program.

Anderson arranged two study sessions a week for Shepler’s class last fall. The students took the initiative to organize a third session for Wednesday, the day before homework is due. For mid-terms, Anderson reserved a room in Wooten Hall for four hours, making sure she had a whiteboard so students could work on proofs and a computer to look up information. They arranged social events, including a dinner and a movie one night.

The Orientation and Transition Programs began a peer mentoring program for students in the learning communities for undecided majors in 2010 and expanded it in 2012.

Academic advisor Todd Lang, who helped organize the program, noted the mentors are advice givers, not tutors, who share the same passion for a subject and provide a personal link between that person and the university.

“They rely on them for certain questions,” Lang said. “How do I study for this test? What’s the best study place on campus?’”

The staff and faculty also meet with the mentors to ask them if they saw any students who might have any personal problems, as well as to get feedback on what they learned as a peer mentor.

“It works well for the professors because it increases success for the class,” Lang said. “It makes it a lot easier to navigate that semester.”

Shepler and Anderson agree. Anderson noted she liked seeing the students grow. Shepler liked how it brought the class together.

 “We’re all going to work hard together,” Shepler said. “We’re all going to be successful in this class.”

- Jessica DeLeón, University Relations, Communications and Marketing

(Above, senior mathematics major Kimberly Anderson and associate professor of mathematics Anne Shepler. Photo by Michael Clements/URCM)