RUS Starts Mentoring Program

More than 200 female upperclass students and first-years have signed up to participate in the Radcliffe Union of Students' new peer mentor program.

Each first-year in the program will be paired with a "big sister" who can help her adjust to college life.

Deborah J. Wexler '95, co-president of the Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) and one of the program's organizers, said the mentoring program is designed to introduce first-years to Radcliffe.

Training sessions were held for the mentors earlier this week, Wexler said. The mentors were given the names of the first-years with whom they were paired, and the upperclass students are supposed to contact their first-year within the next week.

Ayanna A. Cage '97, another program organizer, said first-years and upperclass students were matched according to their academic interests and extracurricular activities.

"The mentors act on a more personal level than the prefects," Cage said. "They are someone the first-year can talkto one a one-to-one level and feel comfortableasking advice from."

"The mentors won't be told to do any onespecific thing," Cage said. "But if they'reinterested in the same thing, maybe they'll dothat together."

Although no male upperclass students havesigned up as mentors, Wexler and others said menare welcome, and she encourages men to sign up.

Lone Male

All of the first-years are female except forKhalid K. Brathwaite '97. Brathwaite said theprogram "just seemed like an interesting thing todo," and that he was not aware he was the onlymale currently involved in the program.

Radcliffe Union of Students Co-president MauraH. Swan '94 said the mentors "are not meant toserve as an alternative to the prefects, butrather as a supplement."

"We think this is really important as a way tolet first-years know about Radcliffe, because alot of them don't know what Radcliffe does," Swansaid.

Rosa Shinagel, assistant dean of RadcliffeCollege, said she thinks the program is a goodidea.

"We're excited," Shinagel said. "This is aspecial opportunity for people who want to knowmore about Radcliffe."

The Radcliffe Union of Students will fund theprogram, but Wexler said she does not expect thecost to be very high. Wexler said it will be oneof the group's medium-sized projects.

"We tabled at first-year and upperclassregistration, and so we got a lot of sign-ups,"Wexler said. "Of course, some people might dropout, but I don't think they will."

Swan said that in future years the program willstart at the beginning of the school year so thatmentors can help first-years choose course andactivities

"The mentors won't be told to do any onespecific thing," Cage said. "But if they'reinterested in the same thing, maybe they'll dothat together."

Although no male upperclass students havesigned up as mentors, Wexler and others said menare welcome, and she encourages men to sign up.

Lone Male

All of the first-years are female except forKhalid K. Brathwaite '97. Brathwaite said theprogram "just seemed like an interesting thing todo," and that he was not aware he was the onlymale currently involved in the program.

Radcliffe Union of Students Co-president MauraH. Swan '94 said the mentors "are not meant toserve as an alternative to the prefects, butrather as a supplement."

"We think this is really important as a way tolet first-years know about Radcliffe, because alot of them don't know what Radcliffe does," Swansaid.

Rosa Shinagel, assistant dean of RadcliffeCollege, said she thinks the program is a goodidea.

"We're excited," Shinagel said. "This is aspecial opportunity for people who want to knowmore about Radcliffe."

The Radcliffe Union of Students will fund theprogram, but Wexler said she does not expect thecost to be very high. Wexler said it will be oneof the group's medium-sized projects.

"We tabled at first-year and upperclassregistration, and so we got a lot of sign-ups,"Wexler said. "Of course, some people might dropout, but I don't think they will."

Swan said that in future years the program willstart at the beginning of the school year so thatmentors can help first-years choose course andactivities