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Experiences of Peer Mentors Who Mentor At-Risk Students
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Miller, Nicole |
| Copyright Year | 2019 |
| Abstract | Experiences of Peer Mentors Who Mentor At-Risk Students by Nicole Danielle Miller MS, Troy University, 2012 BA, Huntingdon College, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University May 2019 Abstract With the number of underprepared, at-risk students entering college, many institutions have developed initiatives to help support student success. Previous research has shown that peer mentoring has been used to support student success, but there is limited research on the mentoring experience from the peer mentors’ perspective. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of peer mentors who mentor at-risk college students at a 4-year institution. Using a phenomenological design, 8 peer mentors were interviewed. This study was built on Lave and Wegner’s theory of situated learning and Zachary’s 4-phase mentoring model to help explain the meaning and value that the participants attributed to their experiences. Moustakas’s 7 step data analysis method was used. The results from this study suggested 5 themes that represent the peer mentors’ experiences: (a) being a role model, (b) learning experiences for the peer mentors, (c) establishing accountability, (d) effective mentor/mentee communication and relationship, and (e) clarifying the role as a mentee. The participants believed they strengthened their leadership and communication skills as a result of their mentoring experience; they also placed a strong emphasis on the challenges that occur during the mentoring relationship. The participants gained an understanding of how the skills they developed would be used in their academics and future professional careers. The positive social change implications for this study included: (a) aiding in the training of future peer mentors; (b) the improvement of future peer mentor programs; (c) improved support for at-risk students; and (d) gaining new insights for other researchers searching to promote successful mentorship programs for at-risk students.With the number of underprepared, at-risk students entering college, many institutions have developed initiatives to help support student success. Previous research has shown that peer mentoring has been used to support student success, but there is limited research on the mentoring experience from the peer mentors’ perspective. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of peer mentors who mentor at-risk college students at a 4-year institution. Using a phenomenological design, 8 peer mentors were interviewed. This study was built on Lave and Wegner’s theory of situated learning and Zachary’s 4-phase mentoring model to help explain the meaning and value that the participants attributed to their experiences. Moustakas’s 7 step data analysis method was used. The results from this study suggested 5 themes that represent the peer mentors’ experiences: (a) being a role model, (b) learning experiences for the peer mentors, (c) establishing accountability, (d) effective mentor/mentee communication and relationship, and (e) clarifying the role as a mentee. The participants believed they strengthened their leadership and communication skills as a result of their mentoring experience; they also placed a strong emphasis on the challenges that occur during the mentoring relationship. The participants gained an understanding of how the skills they developed would be used in their academics and future professional careers. The positive social change implications for this study included: (a) aiding in the training of future peer mentors; (b) the improvement of future peer mentor programs; (c) improved support for at-risk students; and (d) gaining new insights for other researchers searching to promote successful mentorship programs for at-risk students. Experiences of Peer Mentors Who Mentor At-Risk Students by Nicole Danielle Miller MS, Troy University, 2012 BA, Huntingdon College, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University May 2019 Dedication This work is dedicated to my husband, Skip, whose constant love, support and encouragement made this process possible. Thank you to the moon and back. To my daughters, Arial, Lillian, and Skylar, thank you for being the drive I needed when I wanted to give up. I hope that I inspire each of you as you grow older. Never give up on your dreams!! I’m thankful that God chose me to be the mother of you three beautiful girls. In addition, I must acknowledge my parents, Morris and Judy Griffin. Mom even though you are in heaven, I know you are smiling down on me. I hope I have made both of you proud. I am so lucky to have such amazing and supportive parents. I love you both! Acknowledgments I am forever grateful to so many individuals who have helped me and encouraged throughout this entire doctoral process. I want to publicly thank my committee members, Dr. Patricia Loun and Dr. Jane Lyons, for their continuous and insightful feedback. I will always remember each of your knowledge and dedication through educational journey will always be remembered. |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8206&context=dissertations |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
