Once again this year Science at UCD is delighted to introduce to you ‘UCD Links’ – an exciting new peer support programme for all Stage 1 Science students.
Download the Peer Mentoring leaflet (pdf) NEW
All incoming Stage 1 students will be linked with a Stage 2 or Stage 3 Science Student (a ‘Peer Mentor’) who was in your position only a year or 2 ago. They are available to help you get to know the ropes, answer all of your questions and offer good advice on things such as where to go, how to fit it all in and how and when to join clubs and societies.
You will meet your mentor during Orientation and you will exchange contact details so that you can contact them during the year and they can let you know of group meetings. It is also a good idea to keep in touch with your Peer Mentor and to attend mentoring meetings as a way of meeting other Stage 1 students and entering into the spirit of college life.
What Students Say about Mentoring- Read what Ursula Redmond says about her year as a Peer Mentor
- Read what Cormac McGarry says about his experience of being mentored
It is also good to remember that you are also welcome to call to the Science Programme Office, the Student Adviser or Chaplain at any time should you need advice. No problem is too big or small.
What is it all about?As UCD continues to offer a wider variety of courses and to grow in size, your time with us should be full of opportunity, learning, fun and friends. But life at UCD can initially seem somewhat daunting for those who come from small secondary schools, rural areas, or those who are first in their family to go to university.
This is why the Peer Mentoring Programme has been set up for new students. The transition from school to college life can be made easier and more fun with the help of the peer mentoring team of students, who are always at hand whenever you need them.
Who are the mentors?Mentors are students who have already completed their first year of study in a similar area and understand what is like to be a new student at UCD. They are generally students from Stage 2, 3 or 4 who are also studying at UCD. What can these mentors do for you?
The mentors are here simply to help students in whatever way they can during their first year of university life. They act on an informal basis and can easily be approached or contacted with any problem or query. The mentor will try to aid students to the best of their ability and, where appropriate, will guide the student to the relevant service in UCD. When do Stage 1 students meet their mentors?
During orientation in the first week of September, each student will be placed in a group of 10-15 other Stage 1 students. Each group will then be assigned a mentor for the year. All groups will have an arranged meeting with their mentor three times in the year to discuss any issues that may be affecting them, or simply to talk about how everything is going for them on a social and/or academic basis.
The Peer Mentoring Programme is an initiative that was set up by UCD Science in 2006. A total of 100 Stage 1 science students were given a student mentor from whom they could avail of advice or help regarding issues related to settling into their first year at UCD. Success in its first year means that peer mentoring will be available to all Stage 1 science and agriculture students from September 2007.