(Kaiah pictured above)
Hello everyone!
My name is Kaiah Johnson, and I am currently a Peer Advisor for the Niblock Student Center.
We are currently in the process of recruiting Peer Advisors for the 2020-2021 school year. Applications will be available in the future on Hire-A-Niner. You can also email Zena Ali (zali@uncc.edu), if you have any specific questions regarding the application process.
For now, read about my experience as a Peer Advisor and why you should consider applying!
I am a Junior majoring in Business Management with a concentration in Talent Management. This is my first year being a Peer Advisor, and I can honestly say that it has been an amazing experience! I applied to be a PA because I enjoy helping people. This role allows me to help students with their classes, connect them with campus resources, and motivate them to achieve their academic goals. I like being able to help students who have the same struggles I had when I was a freshman or sophomore. I have learned so many valuable things from this position that I will continue to implement well past my time as a student at UNC Charlotte. I have improved my leadership skills, public speaking skills, problem-solving skills, and so much more.
(From left to right: Peer Advisors Taylor Cox, Melisa Akduman, Erika Colvin, Arjun Nag, Senior PA Zena Ali, Kaiah Johnson, & Peer Coordinator Paul Holliday-Millard)
I also work with an amazing team! There are a total of five Peer Advisors and one Senior Peer Advisor. We are a pretty close-knit group; we help each other inside and outside of the office. Working alongside them has honestly made this experience even more memorable.
Here is what my typical week looks like.
OFFICE HOURS
I work a total of ten hours a week. Seven of those hours are spent advising students or working on social media for the Niblock E-Newsletter. Currently, Peer Advisors only advise Pre-Business, Pre-Economics, and Pre-Accounting students. We implement various programs and campaigns throughout the school year aimed to help these students. These programs consist of Freshman Visits, Sophomore Visits, Early Alerts, and Midterm Grades. Freshman Visits focus on helping freshmen have an easy transition into college life. This includes helping them get involved in various organizations and acquainted with different campus resources. Sophomore visits focus on helping sophomores plan their academic schedules for the upcoming semester. Early Alerts and Midterm Grades are check-ins for students who may not have done well at the beginning of the semester, or they received a D or F on their midterm exam.
MENTOR MEETINGS
In the first few weeks as a Peer Advisor, I was assigned a mentor. All mentors are current Academic and Career Coaches. I meet with my mentor once a week for approximately an hour. We discuss an array of topics, such as my personal and professional goals. This also gives me a chance to clarify any school policies that I may be confused about; therefore, I can better relay information to students during my appointments.
FRIDAY MEETINGS
We have a two hour staff meeting each week. This is actually the only time all of the Peer Advisors are all together; which is why I tend to enjoy our meetings. This is a great time to laugh and catch up with everyone. Our meetings are also a time for recognition. We have a tradition called “Pass the Crown,” where every other week the crown holder recognizes another Peer Advisor for their amazing work. When a Peer Advisor has the crown, it is their responsibility to decorate it however they see fit or “leave their mark” on the crown.
(This is a photo of the first contribution to the crown decorated by Taylor Cox.)
Even though there’s lots of laughter and banter going on, we are still pretty productive. We have different trainings and workshops that focus on career development. We also participate in different case studies that prepare us for possible situations that may occur during our appointments with students.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Occasionally, there are events that Peer Advisors participate in as a representative for the Belk College of Business. Explore and Admitted Students Day are two events where we have the opportunity to speak with potential UNC Charlotte students and their parents. I am able to answer any questions they may have about various majors, internship opportunities, and campus organizations and resources. I am also able to share my experiences and why I chose to make UNC Charlotte my home.
Another event that comes around each semester is Freshmen Group Coaching. Freshmen Group Coaching is a presentation that Peer Advisors give with an Academic and Career Coach to prepare and inform freshmen about classes they should be taking in the upcoming semester or the near future.
I truly enjoy my job, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a Peer Advisor. Being a Peer Advisor has allowed me to reach out to students and make connections with people I would have never imagined!
Post Written by Kaiah Johnson
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