Subject-based Student Mentoring at VU
Background

Subject-based Student Mentoring is just one way to improve students' experiences of university and ultimately to help VU's transition and retention efforts.  As Joe Cuseo, Director of Freshman Seminar at Marymount College in Palos Verdes, California has stated

"any institutional policy, procedure, or practice which promotes active involvement, social integration and personal significance will likely promote their retention" (Cuseo, 2003)*. 

Subject-based Student Mentoring might be useful to you and your students if:

• you coordinate or teach a subject which students traditionally find difficult
  
• you are interested in helping your students to become more actively engaged in your subject
  
• you want some assistance to be available to your students
  
• you are interested in helping to improve student transition and retention

If you are interested in further reading on these matters see the Resources page.

*Cuseo, J. (Monday 10th November, 2003) From FYE discussion list FYE-LIST@LISTSERV.SC.EDU Re: Organizational/Administrative Processes & Student Retention.

The Subject-based Mentoring Program is a student mentoring scheme in which students who have passed a specific subject well, conduct regular self-help study sessions for other students new to that subject. It is based on the principle that peer collaboration can aid learning, help create a sense of belonging and can aid student retention. It has four key elements:

• It focuses on providing students with group based, peer support
  
• It runs in subjects that students have traditionally found difficult. This is in contrast to more typical academic assistance programs which focus on providing assistance to struggling students.
  
• All students in a targeted subject are urged to attend the sessions therefore students with varying abilities and backgrounds participate. 
  
• Student Mentors are rewarded for their participation through academic credit.