Implementation of a Student/student Leadership Mentoring Program

Abstract

In an effort to initiate a student leadership mentoring program, Montana State University (MSU) has implemented a student/profession and student/student mentor-mentee relationship program through an annual campus Wellness Fair. The program participants consisted of the Health Promotion class (50 students), MSU faculty, various community organizations, the MSU Wellness Coalition and eight Wellness fair committees: fundraising, budget, advertising, health screens, booths, activities, on campus living and big ideas. This program is modeled after a 3-tier step by step mentoring program. First, lower division nutrition students (freshman and sophomores) are informed and encouraged through advising newsletters, Montana Student Dietetic Association, courses and word-of-mouth to become a committee member of the MSU Wellness Fair. The second tier is comprised of upper division student. (juniors and seniors) who provide mentoring to the various committee members. This is our first example of student/student, mentor/mentee relationships. By the second year, the lower division students are ready to co-chair committee and by the third year they chair the committee. The committee chairs are mentored by faculty, staff, and other allied health professionals. The overall Wellness chair is a senior in nutrition who has shown interest and skills in further leadership development of a large encompassing campus committee. This is the third MSU Annual Wellness week where 91% (N=22) of upper division students and 60% (N=52) of lower division students participated in the student leadership mentoring program. In summary, 69% (N=74) of all MSU dietetic students participated in the 1995 Annual Wellness fair which contraindicates Wenberg (JADA 92:1, 71) report that students are too busy to participate in mentoring programs. It is felt that the difference is associated with a positive effect of student peer pressure to participate as mentors of proteges.