The Office of Diversity Affairs at Georgia Health Sciences University presents HEAL, Health Equity and Access Leaders Program. HEAL aims to equip MCG students with the skills and educational background to work in medically underserved areas and become leaders in addressing the issues surrounding health equity among their peers and in their careers as physicians.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Mentor Journal Entry 4
Well, it was our last individual group meeting with our students. Any final thoughts?
Today was the last mentoring session and I think that the students in my group have improved a lot over the last few weeks. In speaking with a couple students afterwards I realized that they have a greater understanding of what it takes to get into college and the steps necessary to eventually achieve their goals, whatever they may be. Initially my students were misinformed about the application process to college and about what their chances were. Some were scared when they had no need to be while others need to do a little more work to be a more competitive applicant. A couple of my students are very interested in the SEEP program and I think that it would be very beneficial for them. As a former SEEP student I know some of the great advantages that SEEP has to offer. I know that they are also looking forward to visiting the school next week. It should be a great learning experience for them.
We have definitely made great strides since our first meeting. I edited some student essays today, and the essays were pretty good. The students have a lot of ideas concerning what to say for college essays (personal statements) and we discussed what some appropriate and meaningful topics might be. I also told my students about SEEP and encouraged them to look into it next year (my kids are all Juniors)! I think it will be a great opportunity for them to become more prepared for college, and it is easy for them to get involved as Augusta natives. Some of my students are applying for various summer programs already. I know everyone is excited to visit campus next week as well. I think speaking with a financial aid expert will really help because some of the students may have thought of questions along the way, and they may hear questions and answers from their peers that they did not consider before.
My final meeting with my students was a nice wrap up to the semester. I got the chance to talk with a senior about her latest applications. Her story was very touching and interesting, and she was a perfect resource for the juniors in the group to hear about the process of applying to college, sending scholarship applications, contacting financial aid offices, etc. She suggested some particularly helpful advice: keep a running resume, build relationships with teachers for letters of recommendation, contact and fully utilize the assistance of financial aid offices at the institutions to which you are applying, and be prepared to spend significant amounts of time researching schools and preparing applications. Having the perspective of an older student at their school was well received. The juniors were caught a little off guard as to how much effort is required to complete applications, etc., but I think they were also excited about starting the process in the near future. On a personal note as a mentor, one of my students could not make it to the meeting. When she discovered that it would be our last official meeting, she gave me a big hug. It was a moment that revealed how much these kids appreciate us coming to their school to hang out and talk about their futures. Even with some of the challenges we faced during our first semester of Near Peer, I am very glad that it has been a success!
Today was the last mentoring session and I think that the students in my group have improved a lot over the last few weeks. In speaking with a couple students afterwards I realized that they have a greater understanding of what it takes to get into college and the steps necessary to eventually achieve their goals, whatever they may be. Initially my students were misinformed about the application process to college and about what their chances were. Some were scared when they had no need to be while others need to do a little more work to be a more competitive applicant. A couple of my students are very interested in the SEEP program and I think that it would be very beneficial for them. As a former SEEP student I know some of the great advantages that SEEP has to offer. I know that they are also looking forward to visiting the school next week. It should be a great learning experience for them.
ReplyDeleteWe have definitely made great strides since our first meeting. I edited some student essays today, and the essays were pretty good. The students have a lot of ideas concerning what to say for college essays (personal statements) and we discussed what some appropriate and meaningful topics might be. I also told my students about SEEP and encouraged them to look into it next year (my kids are all Juniors)! I think it will be a great opportunity for them to become more prepared for college, and it is easy for them to get involved as Augusta natives. Some of my students are applying for various summer programs already. I know everyone is excited to visit campus next week as well. I think speaking with a financial aid expert will really help because some of the students may have thought of questions along the way, and they may hear questions and answers from their peers that they did not consider before.
ReplyDeleteMy final meeting with my students was a nice wrap up to the semester. I got the chance to talk with a senior about her latest applications. Her story was very touching and interesting, and she was a perfect resource for the juniors in the group to hear about the process of applying to college, sending scholarship applications, contacting financial aid offices, etc. She suggested some particularly helpful advice: keep a running resume, build relationships with teachers for letters of recommendation, contact and fully utilize the assistance of financial aid offices at the institutions to which you are applying, and be prepared to spend significant amounts of time researching schools and preparing applications. Having the perspective of an older student at their school was well received. The juniors were caught a little off guard as to how much effort is required to complete applications, etc., but I think they were also excited about starting the process in the near future. On a personal note as a mentor, one of my students could not make it to the meeting. When she discovered that it would be our last official meeting, she gave me a big hug. It was a moment that revealed how much these kids appreciate us coming to their school to hang out and talk about their futures. Even with some of the challenges we faced during our first semester of Near Peer, I am very glad that it has been a success!
ReplyDelete