Meet Three Peer Mentors on the Hill

"I became a peer mentor because my experience as a new student came with a lot of anxiety. I frequently went back home because I was so overwhelmed, but I still became involved with people and organizations. Being a peer mentor means helping students find balance between helping themselves get what they need and taking steps to become part of the McDaniel community.

"Despite my nervousness, I became a student worker in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and attended fun and meaningful events, like a campus talk by Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu. My hometown was not very diverse, and I didn’t always feel accepted, so the best part of my freshman year was seeing how the McDaniel community valued and encouraged students to engage in discussions about DEI.

"The most important thing to know before starting college is where to find campus resources! Truly, knowing these resources — like the ODEI — in my first year gave me the chance to improve my quality of life while on campus and to get the help I needed."

- Kaitlyn, Sociology major with a minor in French.

"My peer mentor was so welcoming my first year, and even now. Freshman year was my first time away from home, and having this student leader ready to invite me in and make me comfortable made me feel like I belonged here. Now, I’m the welcoming face for people like me who want to know that they belong. I help them feel unafraid of change, because they have people like me here to support them.

"College is a big change — you meet a lot of people along the way. I’ve been fortunate to make some of the best friends I could have found here to enjoy my college experience with.

"My advice to new college students is to find balance in everything you do. It’s all right to try new things in college, that’s a big part of it, but it’s important to prioritize and balance the fun with the work, to ensure you don’t get too caught up in either one."

- Jay, Social Work major with a minor in Psychology.

"As a student tour guide, I saw many future students beam with excitement and curiosity. For me, peer mentoring is all about being there for those same students who are finally taking on their first courses and seeing what they enjoy.

"I support first-year students wholeheartedly, whether that may be via simple question answering, connecting them with the correct resources, and giving an open environment and lending an ear.

"Looking back, the best part of freshman year was gauging what I liked, disliked, and could really pursue academically. Nothing is set in stone. Your mind and goals can and will change as your college career progresses; be open to it, then embrace it."

- Matt, Biochemistry and Chemistry major.