Abstract
Peer advising is an integral part of our undergraduate advising system in the Public Health Sciences major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The program was developed in 2009 to address the advising needs of a rapidly growing major that went from 25 to over 530 majors between 2007 and 2014. Each year, 9–12 top performing upper-level students are chosen through an intensive application process. A major goal of the program is to provide curriculum and career guidance to students in the major and empower students in their academic and professional pursuits. The year-long program involves several components, including: staffing the drop-in advising center, attending training seminars, developing and presenting workshops for students, meeting prospective students and families, evaluating ways to improve the program, and collaborating on self-directed projects. The peer advisors (PAs) also provide program staff insight into the needs and perspectives of students in the major. In turn, PAs gain valuable leadership and communication skills, and learn strategies for improving student success. The Peer Advising Program builds community and fosters personal and professional development for the PAs. In this paper, we will discuss the undergraduate peer advising model, the benefits and challenges of the program, and lessons learned. Several methods were used to understand the perceived benefits and challenges of the program and experiences of students who utilized the Peer Advising Center. The data for this evaluation were drawn from three sources: (1) archival records from the Peer Advising Center; (2) feedback from PAs who completed the year-long internship; and (3) a survey of students who utilized the Peer Advising Center. Results of this preliminary evaluation indicate that PAs gain valuable skills that they can carry into their professional world. The program is also a way to engage students in building community within the major.
Highlights
For most of its history, public health education focused on graduate studies
Juniors and seniors are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with the Undergraduate Program Advisor or the Undergraduate Program Director to make sure they are on track to graduate
In addition to staff and faculty advising, peer advising is an essential part of our undergraduate advising system in the Public Health Sciences (PHS) major
Summary
Over the last 10 years there has been a surge across the country of undergraduate public health education programs in response to both student interest and a need to develop a strong public health workforce. Students must navigate a complex set of major and university requirements and career preparation alternatives To meet these needs, the Department of Public Health at the UMass instituted a peer advising program to help meet the growing need for student advising, provide peer mentorship for students, and provide students with leadership development opportunities in public health. UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCES AND PEER ADVISING MODEL The PHS Undergraduate Program is housed in the Department of Public Health within the CEPH accredited SPHHS. The Undergraduate Program Director is responsible for the overall curriculum, faculty development, study abroad and internship opportunities, and meeting with students that have more complex issues. In addition to staff and faculty advising, peer advising is an essential part of our undergraduate advising system in the PHS major
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