The Peer Advisor Support at Southeast (PASS) program assists students with the transition to college by pairing them with advisors who understand it best: current students.
Peer advisor coordinator Lexi Ross, a prior peer advisor herself, is leading the charge in making students feel more comfortable during their first semester at Southeast.
“As students are transitioning to college, they are navigating a large adjustment to a new environment,” said Ross. “Students are potentially living away from their families for the first time while navigating rigorous course work, all the while trying to make the most of the resources available to them on campus.”
PASS program advisors ensure students are aware of the resources available to them. Student peer advisors better understand the needs of students, plus students may find them easier to approach for questions.
“Having a peer advisor gives students an additional person who gets it,” said Ross. “It can be really challenging for students to know what they need when they don’t know what they don’t know.”
To help first-year students figure out life on campus, advisors meet with their advisee at the beginning of their first semester. The advisor encourages their advisee to reflect on their goals and what they hope to achieve. From there, the two will formulate an action plan to help reach those goals.
“Students benefit the most from the program by working with an advisor right away,” said Ross. “That way their advisor can help them adjust to life on campus and use the many resources the University has to offer.”
At the end of the semester, students sign up for an end of term review with their advisor to reflect on how the semester went. They review the goals and discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how to readjust their habits going forward. In between these appointments, peer advisors check in with their advisees to see how things are going and to send out important dates, guidelines, and reminders.
Ross began working as peer advisor coordinator in January 2023. As a prior peer advisor herself, she has a unique perspective on the program.
“I feel like being a peer advisor really opened my eyes in such a short amount of time to how many resources are available to students on campus,” said Ross. “It was so rewarding working with students during the beginning of the semester and seeing how nervous they were but seeing them again at the end of the semester and they were a totally different student.”
Now, as coordinator, Ross is looking forward to working with her peer advisors to improve the program and create her own impact.
“Our peer advisors have the best input and feedback as it's truly their ‘finger on the pulse’ of the students we serve,” said Ross. “I'm looking forward to getting really helpful feedback in what ways we can move forward and improve the program for students and peer advisors.”
The number of students using the PASS program at Southeast fluctuates each fall but is typically between 90-120 students. Incoming students whose GPA fell within a certain academic range would have received an invitation to the program the summer prior to their first fall semester. The program remains open to all first-year students, not just those who were invited.
Abby Chapman, a current sophomore at Southeast, was a student who took full advantage of the PASS program as a freshman.
“I am thankful for having this service while being a freshman and going through so much change,” said Chapman. “PASS was a great aid to learning about how to be a successful college student.”