An evaluation was conducted on a university peer mentoring program for Latina/o college students (mostly freshmen and first generation) at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Data were collected across 3 years from 458 Latina/o students with mentors and 86 Latina/o students without mentors (Year 3). Quantitative and qualitative data indicated mentees viewed peer mentors as social capital (e.g., emotional and academic support). Mentees reported increased university integration and connection at posttest, significantly greater than nonmentored students. Resumen Se condujo una evaluación de un programa universitario de companeros mentores de estudiantes latina/os (la mayoría de primer año y primera generación) en una institución de servicio a hispanos. Información de 458 estudiantes latina/os y sus menotres se coleccionó a través de tres años, así como de 86 estudiantes latina/os sin mentores (de tercer año). Inforamción cuantitativa y cualitativa indican que los estudiantes percivieron a sus mentores compañeros como capital social (i.e., apoyo emocional y académico). En una prueba posterior, los estudiantes con mentores reportaron integración universitaria significativamente mayor que los estudiantes sin mentores.
Among academically talented students, SES and racial group membership predict both college expectations and matriculation, and youth less often attend and complete postsecondary education if their parents did not go to college. For successful adjustment to college, significant adults during high school matter more than they might imagine. Talking to teachers and counselors had strong relationships with social and academic adjustment as well as with positive attitudes for all students. Interestingly, the more participants talked to teachers in high school, the more academically competent they felt in college, and this relationship was especially strong for first-generation students. Such findings suggest that “getting ready” experiences may prepare students to more effectively balance the multiple developmental tasks they face as college students on the threshold of adulthood. This preparation may be especially important for persistence among vulnerable populations, including first-generation students, who spend the least time of any group talking to teachers outside class. Students in low-income, urban communities may be in reasonable proximity to a community, vocational, or 4-year college; students in rural schools may more often see relatively few opportunities for higher education. An academically oriented high school peer group also may prepare students to become socially engaged on the college campus. These preliminary findings are a strong argument for policies and practices that bring all new college students together in personalized social interactions as quickly as possible rather than focusing on groups perceived to be “at risk.”
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