Special Thanks

The concept of the peer advising program was initiated by our Dean's Circle student members and Ms. Elsa Bolt, School of Communication Senator, who graduated in the spring of 2008. During its nascent stages, Ms. Elsa Bolt was actively engaged in the peer advising program by attending several meetings with Mr. Luis Herrera, Assistant Dean, and Ms. Natieska Rivas, Academic Advisor and Coordinator of the Peer Advising Program.

Moreover, this program is richly blessed by each of our peer advisors -- they are truly spectacular. Our peer advisors are gifted with exceptional skills, talents, and personalities. Furthermore, they hold a high caliber in academics. I am exceedingly grateful for the active participation of Ms. Elsa Bolt and Mr. Ryan Hughes, an active member in the Dean's Circle student organization as well as a faithful participant in the Peer Advising program.

Furthermore, I am incredibly touched by Mr. Kemy Joseph; his enthusiasm for our program is sincere and contagious. Also, I am grateful to Mr. Luis Herrera, Assistant Dean, for giving me the opportunity to research, create, draft, and organize all aspects of the Peer Advising Program. Finally, these aforementioned students placed their faith in our efforts to devise this program as well as captured the vision of the peer advising program.

Respectfully,
Natieska Rivas
Academic Advisor & Coordinator of the Peer Advising Program

Mission Statement

The University of Miami Mission Statement

The University of Miami's mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world.

School of Communication Mission Statement

The School of Communication is dedicated to a global educational perspective and is committed to proving a socially responsible and ethically grounded learning environment guided by a diverse faculty of scholars, artists and professionals. The School is committed to quality undergraduate and graduate programs in communication that emphasize the relationship between theory and practice. We believe in freedom of expression and creativity, and encourage both collaboration and independent thinking as we prepare future scholars, professional and leaders for a lifetime of service and learning.

Peer Advising Program Mission Statement

The peer advising program is committed to enhancing student development by encouraging growth in the areas of leadership, communication, self direction, and problem solving skills. Furthermore, the peer advising program is dedicated to facilitating meaningful interactions between peer advisors and advisees as they engage in various school-sponsored events. Most importantly, through this opportunity of service, peer advisors will be play a pivotal role in aiding freshmen students as they transition to the School of Communication as well as enrich their learning experience at the University of Miami

Objectives for Peer Advisors

The School of Communication, at the University of Miami, aspires to establish a student-led peer advising program, and its sole objective is to foster student development in the following vectors:

• Developing Competence (Interpersonal Competence)
  • Peer advisors will encounter countless opportunities to develop as well as sharpen their interpersonal competence in the areas of "...communication, leadership, and [the ability to work] effectively with others ..." (Evans, Forney, & Guido-DiBrito, 1998, p.38).
• Moving through Autonomy toward Interdependence (Instrumental Independence)
  • Peer advisors will encounter innumerable experiences where they will develop as well as hone their instrumental independence in areas of "...self-direction, problem-solving ability, and mobility ..." (Evans, Forney, & Guido-DiBrito, 1998, p.39).
• Developing Purpose
  • Undoubtedly, student characteristics and personalities; student experiences in class as well as in school; student interactions with program chairs and faculty advisors; meaningful interactions with professional or peer advisors; and interactions with other influential agents such as parents, extended family, alumni, and peers are pivotal factors that affect a student's decision when selecting a second major component as well as pursuing graduate work (Brown, 2004, p. 377). Since this decision is very important, peer advisors can serve as good role models in this decision making process. For example, they can be instrumental in facilitating factual information about majors, share personal experiences when they began taking courses for their second majors, and promote an active participation in school-sponsored events such as a major's fair, which is geared to assist students in their selection of a major component.
• Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships
  • Due to the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural student population the University of Miami enjoys, participants of the peer advising program will have limitless opportunities to learn about diversity by "...[accepting] individuals for who they are, [respecting] differences, and [appreciating] commonalties..." (Reisser in Evans, Forney, & Guido-DiBrito, 1998, p.39).

Job Description & Requirements

The Office of Admissions, Academic, and Alumni Services, at the School of Communication, is looking for prospective peer advisors. These candidates should possess the following attributes:

• Be enthusiastic, energetic, friendly, and motivated when interacting with freshmen or transfer students. Transfer students are eligible to participate in the peer advising program if they have earned 30 credits or less (freshmen standing).
• Be a mentor when advising freshmen or transfer students.
• Communicate effectively all graduation requirements that are outlined in the Bachelor of Science degree, offered by the University of Miami's School of Communication.
• Be strong leaders, who display their exceptional talents, at their school, place of employment, and community.
• Be in junior or senior standing (60 credits or higher).
• Maintain a strong grade point average in their academic programs (3.0 GPA or higher).

General Statement of Duties & Responsibilities

• At all times, uphold all confidentiality guidelines as well as abide by all FERPA (The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act) regulations.
  • If parents have any questions about their child's peer advisor, they must contact the Office of Admissions, Academic, and Alumni Services and speak with Natieska Rivas or a professional, academic advisor. Please call them at 305-284-5234.
• Properly advise freshmen and transfer students in all general education and communication requirements.
  • October is the peer advising period for the fall term.
  • February is the peer advising period for the spring term.
• Address general advising questions.
  • Pre-approval for summer courses
  • Study abroad programs
  • Options for minors
  • Freshman forgiveness policy
• Advise within his or her area of study (Communication major).
• Even though peer advisors and advisees will serve as well as participate on a voluntary basis, it is strongly recommended for a peer advisor to work with his or her group (between six to eight students) for an entire school year.
• Be knowledgeable about student services as well as academic resources being offered by the University of Miami.
  • Academic Resource Center (ARC)
  • Writing Center
  • Toppel Career Center
  • Office of Disability
  • Counseling Center
  • International Student & Scholar Services
• Assist the Office of Admissions, Academic, and Alumni Services during the freshmen orientation in August (fall orientation).

Incentives for Peer Advisors

Peer advisors will be able to secure an early registration appointment; wear a polo shirt for the peer advising program; receive gift certificates for the fall and spring terms if the school's budget permits; have a personalized, profile section in your school's website; participate in luncheons during the fall and spring terms; and wear, as part of your regalia, a stole of gratitude at the time of their graduation.

Application for Peer Advisors

Thanks for your interest in the peer advising program. You may download your application at this website. The Office of Admissions, Academic, and Alumni Services will accept applications every fall and spring terms.

While completing your application, please be informed that your letters of recommendations may come from faculty and staff members from the University of Miami, coaches, if you are an athlete, employers, and peers, if you work as a resident assistant.

If you have any questions about the peer advising program, contact Natieska Rivas, coordinator of the program. You may reach her at nrivas@miami.edu or at 305-284-5234.

Evaluation for Peer Advisors

Freshmen students, participating in the peer advising program for at least a year, should provide some feedback about the efficacy of their peer advisors. These advisees will submit a performance appraisal form at the end of the spring term, evaluating their peer advisors in various areas (Phillips & Boren, 1992, p. 9):

• Empathic and personable quality traits
• A genuine concerns for students' needs
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Provide accurate information during all advising sessions.
• Advise properly with regard to scope and sequence of courses.
  • Prerequisites
  • Core-requisites
• Resourcefulness when discussing a second major component
• Responsibility and trustworthiness when handling confidential information
• Generate student referrals when necessary.
• Overall satisfaction with their peer advisors

Needs and Assessment for Advisees

Because students display diverse, advising needs, participants in the peer advising program should be surveyed at the end of the spring term. The following questions should explore the scope of their advising needs (Geelhoed, Abe, & Talbot, 2003, p. 8):

• Enumerate the reasons for participating in the peer advising program.
• List any expectations you originally had about the peer advising program.
• What learning experiences did you gain after participating in the peer advising program?
• Were your interactions with the peer advisor productive?
• Were you better prepared for advising when meeting with a professional advisor?
• List any suggestions that would improve the efficiency of the peer advising program.

Qualifications for Advisees

Every fall, freshmen students will be assigned to their peer advisors. For instance, freshmen students, majoring in motion pictures, will be paired with peer advisors who are also studying the same program, i.e., motion pictures. Moreover, these advisees will participate in the peer advising program on a voluntary basis. If they choose to complete the program, they will work with their peer advisors during the fall and spring terms of their freshmen year.

Furthermore, peer advisors will complement the academic advising process by providing freshmen students with a clear guidance as well as a better preparation as they finalize their course selection plans with a professional advisor. Finally, be informed that a small segment of the freshman class may be ineligible for the peer advising program:

1. Freshmen students, who have completed about two thirds of their general education requirements through dual enrollment or IB or AP credits, cannot participate in the program; peer advisors will only advise in general education and communication core requirements.
2. Freshmen students, who participate in the communication honors program, are also unable to participate in the peer advising program because they have the option to customize their areas of study; consequently, they do not follow the regular communication curriculum. Moreover, Dr. Mitchell Shapiro, Director of Honors, will be their advisor. To learn more about the communication honors program, follow this link: http://com.miami.edu/programs/honors.php

Bibliography

• Brown, S.B. (2004). Where this path may lead: Understanding career decision-making for post college life. Journal of College Student Development, 45(4), 375-390.
• Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-Brito, F. (1998). Student Development in College: Theory, Research, and Practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Geelhoed, R.J., Abe, J., & Talbot, D.M. (2003). A qualitative investigation of U.S. students' experiences in an international peer program. Journal of College Student Development, 44(1), 5-17.
• Phillips, B.C. & Boren, K.J. (1992). Assessment of the student peer advisor program: A change in roles. (Report No. JC 920 342). Marysville, CA: Northern California Community Colleges. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 346 914)
• Russel, J.H. & Skinkle, R.R. (1990). Evaluation of peer-adviser effectiveness. Journal of College Student Development, 31, 388-394.