FYE Peer Mentors Share Their Stories

Are you interested in becoming an FYE Peer Mentor but you aren't sure if the job is for you? Keep scrolling and read about the experiences of past FYE Peer Mentors. Our FYE Peer Mentors are diverse in that they come from various backgrounds, majors and classifications. Each story is different so find the story that relates to you!

FYE Peer Mentor Jasmin Benward

Jasmin is a junior Film major and sociology minor. She enjoys creative writing and interior designing.

Jasmin goes into detail about her role and responsibility as a FYE Peer Mentor.

What made you want to become a peer mentor? As a former FLC student becoming a peer mentor to this program was important for me because my particular FLC did not have a peer mentor. The experience, however, was so awesome that I felt obligated to help in any capacity that I could.

How did you balance schoolwork, campus involvement and the peer mentor position? I prioritized and ultimately felt more responsible for school work and mentor-related responsibilities. Not only did I have to make sure things were done for myself, but I had professors and other students that relied on me to make suitable choices.

Do you feel you made a lasting impression on your mentees? I feel confident that I made a lasting impression on my mentees. Not only do we continue to communicate on campus, but I still receive e-mails from several of them asking for my advice about registration, note-taking tips, etc.

If you could do it all over again what would you do differently? If I could do it all over again I would meet with the students more frequently to identify their questions or concerns midpoint, opposed to the beginning and the end of the semester.

What did you gain from being a Peer Mentor? From being a Peer Mentor I gained leadership experience and an opportunity to become actively involved on campus.

FYE Peer Mentor Naeshia McDowell

Naeshia is a junior majoring in Biology. She enjoys writing poetry, reading and listening to old school music.

Naeshia’s experience as an FYE Peer Mentor has been rewarding as well as enlightening. She built strong bonds with her mentees and she learned the importance of hard work. Naeshia is using the skills she acquired from the FYE Peer Mentor position by applying them to other aspects of her life.

What is your personal definition of a mentor? My personal definition of a mentor is a person who is willing to go out of their way to assist their mentee. This person is selfless and encouraging. He or she assumes the role as a mentor at all times and behaves accordingly.

What was the best part of serving as a peer mentor? The best part was discovering that I actually impacted some of my mentees in a positive way. I was in a meeting with my supervisor one day and she informed me that several of my mentees mentioned my name in an essay they wrote about leaders they would not mind following.  Of course the goal is to impact your mentees in a positive manner but when you actually accomplish that, the feeling is delightful!

Did your responsibilities as a peer mentor interfere with your studies? I did struggle with managing my responsibilities at first. I was trying to take on too much at one time and it almost affected me negatively. When I finally sat down and prioritized, matters began looking up. You just have to know what you can and cannot handle.

Would you recommend this position to a student seeking a leadership position? I would definitely recommend the position. This job gave me the extra leadership experience that I needed. I am now a Resident Assistant with University Housing and I feel that the FYE Peer Mentor position prepared me for that job.

What did you gain from being a Peer Mentor? From the Peer Mentor position I gained insight into my capabilities. This position made me push myself in ways that I had never pushed myself. I had to learn the value of time and the importance of organization. I also learned that hard work goes a long way. The relationships that I have with some of my mentees are rewarding and no paycheck can take the place of that.

FYE Peer Mentor Dejene Marshall

Dejene is a sophomore Biology major who enjoys occasional drawing and a lot of dancing!

Dejene is an expert when it comes to effective time management and she used this skill to excel as a peer mentor. She sheds some light on her experience as an FYE Peer Mentor below.

What is your personal definition of a mentor? Mentors have a huge responsibility in the lives of their freshmen mentees. Mentors must be knowledgeable about all of the resources and happenings around Georgia State. Most of all, they must have an energetic and positive attitude!

What was the best part of serving as a peer mentor? The part I love most about being a mentor is knowing that I may have positively changed the outcome of someone's first college experience. I know when I was a freshman, I felt too intimidated to talk to my professor about certain issues that I was having. As mentors we have the advantage to alleviate that pressure and make their transition to college a lot smoother.

How did you balance school work, campus involvement and the peer mentor position? Two words: time management! There is no way I could balance all of my obligations without an agenda and a daily, weekly and monthly plan. Maintaining your priorities and taking time to reward yourself after an exhausting week is also a key factor. If I wasn't involved in other activities other than school, I would honestly feel as though something was missing in my life! It really teaches you the importance of having important responsibilities.

Would you recommend this position to a student seeking a leadership position? Of course! This job is not only very flexible, but it is extremely rewarding in the end. This job involves a lot of paperwork and it can take up a lot of hours over the course of a week, but the relationships that you build with your mentees makes it all worthwhile. 

What piece of advice would you offer a student seeking to be a peer mentor? Being a peer mentor is a true commitment. You must be passionate about helping others and possibly impacting lives in order to reach your full potential. The amount of time and effort you put into this job is going to give you the most rewarding results.

FYE Peer Mentor Nika Daryooni

Nika is a senior here at Georgia State University and she enjoys traveling reading and exploring.

Nika’s experience as a leader at Georgia State University helped her thrive as an FYE Peer Mentor. She was one of the leaders within the program and she shares her experience below.

What is your personal definition of a mentor?  A Support System! I believe that the greatest and best gift that a mentor can provide is support because a lot of people lack support and confidence. Furthermore, a mentor is somebody who is there to guide one onto the right path and in the right direction.

Did your responsibilities as a peer mentor interfere with your studies? At first, they did, but once you learn to balance out the responsibilities of being a peer mentor and a student, they will not interfere. It actually makes you work harder because you are a role model for these students and you don’t want to get behind.

How did you balance school work, campus involvement and the peer mentor position? To be honest, I have no idea, how I did it all. When I was a peer mentor, I was also taking 22 hours’ worth of classes, president of my honors organization and working another part time job.  I have learned that it is all about time management and making small sacrifices.

Would you recommend this position to a student seeking a leadership position? Most definitely! It is a great way to become a leader or mature as a leader in the Georgia State community. It allows you to gain leadership experience from a different perspective.

What did you gain from being a Peer Mentor? As strange as it sounds, I gained a youth perspective. Being caught up in the struggles of life and growing up, my mentees made me realize how short life is and that sometimes it is okay for things to go wrong or to be a little bit carefree because eventually everything will work out perfectly fine.  Also, I gained a lot of leadership experience and it sealed the deal that I want to work in higher education and student affairs and hopefully that is what I will attend graduate school for in the fall.

What piece of advice would you offer a student seeking to be a peer mentor? If you are in it for the money, then don’t bother yourself. Being a peer mentor is more than just receiving the stipend. It is all about wanting to help others and giving back to the Georgia State community that has given so much to you.

FYE Peer Mentor Justin Brown-Vaughn

Justin is a sophomore Actuarial Science Major who enjoys listening to music, meeting new people and traveling.

Justin sheds some light on his experience as a Peer Mentor and how it has impacted him personally.

What is your personal definition of a mentor? A mentor is a person who can guide their mentees down the path of success and know when it is time is to let them go rather than hold their hand the entire time.

What was the best part of serving as a peer mentor? The best part had to be seeing your mentees excel in their studies.

If you could do it all over again what would you do differently? Of course, you can always look back on any experience and see your mistakes. However, I believe students want a mentor that they can relate to and that is a human being that makes mistakes.

What did you gain from being a Peer Mentor?  My biggest gain was the personal fulfillment of knowing that I built good relationships with my mentees for life.

What piece of advice would you offer a student seeking to be a peer mentor? Make sure your heart is into it. Point Blank

FYE Peer Mentor Amanda Edgerton

Amanda is a senior psychology major who enjoys photography.

Amanda knows firsthand some of the struggles that first-year students face. As a commuter student her freshman year, she had a difficult time adjusting to the campus. Amanda took on the FYE Peer Mentor Position aiming to inspire and uplift first year students. She elaborates on her experience below.

What made you want to become a peer mentor? My freshman year I participated in an FLC. Unlike the FLCs of today, I did not have a peer mentor. On top of that I was a commuter student and getting to know the campus and what it had to offer was a difficult task. The way I came to know about all the offices here on campus was by myself as a result of trial and error or because I had a problem I needed to solve. I wanted to offer freshman, both resident and commuter students, a better first year than I had. I wanted to help ease the stress and chaos that comes along with being a new student on a new campus.

What was the best part of serving as a peer mentor? I would have to say that the best part of service as a peer mentor is helping students with their questions about university life. College can be a fun time but it can also be a very stressful time. I remember during a one on one with my mentee, she said to me “I’ve been so excited about meeting with you because I had so many questions, I knew you would be able to answer them.” That is probably the best part. It really feels good knowing that someone is relying on me like that.

Did your responsibilities as a peer mentor interfere with your studies? Not at all! If anything, serving as a peer mentor made me a better student. All jobs come with added responsibility. I feel that serving as a peer mentor taught me how to truly manage my time. It has also taught me how to become a better public speaker and to communicate more effectively.

How did you balance school work, campus involvement and the peer mentor position? Time management, time management…oh and time management! Did I say time management?? I would have truly fallen apart if I did not have a planner. I would say it is about setting priorities and deadlines for accomplishing tasks. This makes life so much easier!

Would you recommend this position to a student seeking a leadership position? Most definitely! This is a wonderful job! Leaders are often people who love knowing information and relaying it to other people so that they can become leaders too. This is a great position for that! You learn a lot about Georgia State University. You are a main information hub for your mentees. As a result, you are giving this information to future leaders. It creates a chain reaction. It is wonderful!

FYE Peer Mentor Sydne Daniels

Sydne is a junior Journalism major and public relations minor. She enjoys shopping, going out to eat, watching movies and listening to music.

She thoroughly enjoyed her job as an FYE Peer Mentor and feels that anyone seeking the position should be passionate about mentorship. She shares her experience below.

What made you want to become a peer mentor? Becoming a mentor was important to me because I know firsthand how difficult coming into your freshman year without one can be. Mentors are able to give you guidance and a deeper insight into Georgia State University, the greater Atlanta area, and life in general. It brings me joy to be in the position to provide this information to other students who will appreciate it as I would have if I had a mentor my first year.

What was the best part of serving as a peer mentor? The best part about serving as a peer mentor is the moment you realize how much you have served as a positive influence to the students you mentor.  I will never forget when one of my mentees told me she appreciated that I was there for her more than some of her family and her professors. Another highlight is when you are able to master the art of providing help to students who seek help as well as the students who don’t.  And how can I forget the friendships I’ve made with some of the other mentors!

How did you balance school work, campus involvement and the peer mentor position? It’s all about time management. I was able to balance a semester load of work, campus involvement, and this position by balancing my schedule and allotting ample time to each of these areas. When you’re passionate about something, setting aside time for it is not a burden. With a positive mindset, succeeding in all of these areas is extremely possible.

Do you feel you made a lasting impression on your mentees? I do. Even after my term as a peer mentor concluded with the fall Freshman Learning Communities, several students still reach out to me for assistance.

What piece of advice would you offer a student seeking to be a peer mentor? One piece of advice I would offer to future peer mentors is to be passionate about this position that you are seeking. If you don’t love what you’re doing, how can you expect to positively affect someone who sees you’re not interested in it? As a student leader your actions and the way you carry yourself will affect the students you mentor in more ways than one. You are not only a mentor in this position, but potentially someone’s role model and to be passionate about this position is the only way you will excel within it.

FYE Peer Mentor Emmanuel Amosu

Emmanuel is a senior Accounting major who enjoys playing Basketball and learning new subjects.

He has flourished as a leader in the FYE Peer Mentor Program and wants to share his experience with others.

What made you want to become a peer mentor? I wanted to help freshman students be successful. I wanted to share knowledge that I wish I had known as a freshman myself.

Did your responsibilities as a peer mentor interfere with your studies?  Not at all! Being a peer mentor is just like having any other job. How much time it takes away from your studies is up to you.

How did you balance school work, campus involvement and the peer mentor position? I gave my classes top priority then the peer mentor position and any on campus involvement came afterward.

What did you gain from being a Peer Mentor? I gained more knowledge about myself and others. I was interesting. I also learned more about my leadership style.

What piece of advice would you offer a student seeking to be a peer mentor? Be willing to share and give back. Be positive!

FYE Peer Mentor Alexandria Richard

Alexandria is a junior Journalism major and Ceramic Art minor. She enjoys shopping, eating and throwing pottery.

 Alexandria’s knowledge of her leadership ablilites equipped her with the attributes that are necessary to be an FYE Peer Mentor. She shares her rewarding experiecne below.

What is your personal definition of a mentor? To me, being a peer mentor is a combination of a big sister, role model and friend all wrapped up in one.

What made you want to become a peer mentor?I became a FYE Peer Mentor because I remember being a first year student at GSU, not knowing a thing about Georgia State and learning things the hard way simply because no one was there to guide me. Having experienced the ups and downs of GSU my first year, I was able to have enough knowledge to pass the Do and Don’ts of Georgia State onto incoming freshmen.

What did you gain from being a Peer Mentor? Aside from learning what kind of leader I am, one of the best things I’ve gained from this position is a heart for helping others, especially freshmen. So I would say that having a heart towards helping first-year students find their way at GSU should be first on the list of anyone seeking this position.

What was the best part of serving as a peer mentor? The best part of serving as a peer mentor is knowing that I’ve made a lasting impression on my mentees as a big sister and person they can come to about academic issues as well as personal.

My Mentor, My Friend

A Poem by Theresa Genter

Thank you for allowing me
the opportunity
to learn from you
when I was seeking so much knowledge
when I was asking many questions
you patiently listened and answered accordingly
never showing signs of frustration

Thank you for taking the time
to show me the necessary skills today
that will lead me with confidence into tomorrow
for believing in me and having enough faith
to share your work
your dreams
and your vision

Thank you for accepting me as I am
with all my eagerness
and my sheer joy over the little things...
you never tried to squelch that spirit in me
Instead, you have encouraged that spirit
and for that, I do thank you

I realized the knowledge I need for work can be learned anywhere,
taught by most anyone
but the life skills I needed that go along with it...
well, that would have to be taught by a very unique individual
with a very special gift for giving
a gift of patience and understanding
that someone is you, my Mentor
and now, my friend