MUNCIE, Ind. - Nineteen students around campus are employed in the university’s residence halls; their sole goal is to be a resource for students and offer opportunities to further their experience as students. Trained in the resources around campus, they allow students to prioritize their mental health and academic achievements.
As well as being full-time students, Academic Peer Mentors [APMs] work 40 hours per week to put on events for the residents in their Learning Living Communities. Not including all the prepping, planning, and research, these students are expected to provide a sense of community for the residence hall.
“I’m just here not only to be a resource for materials and these makerspaces, but also a resource for more of those personal aspects,” commented Schmidt-Wilson APM Alana Halsted, “I just make it easier to have somebody in their corner.”
Weekly events, such as Halsted’s Artist Anonymous, allow students time to work on homework and projects while having access to a mentor. They also put on monthly events, which can be a fun initiative or give students access to professors or resources on campus.
The most memorable events, though, are the semester trips that students can go on with their APM. In Halsted’s case, she has taken the fine arts students to Pattern Magazine and to Newsfields in Indianapolis. Honors APM Nell Miske has taken honors students to Mounds State Park to learn about the Native American roots in Indiana.
APMs are an asset to students, especially when stress is high with finals approaching. With access to beneficial resources, putting on study tables, and a friendly face on campus, APMs offer a way for students to succeed.
Contact Arlene Thompson with comments at arlene.thompson@bsu.edu.
