Minority Peer Mentoring in Health and Community Wellness
Location
Session 2 Presentations - College Students & Well-Being
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
The B.S. in Health and Community Wellness (CMWL) program at the University of West Georgia was launched in 2015. In 2016, the program had its first graduate. As of 2021, the program has grown into a diverse, unique program of approximately 300 students. With a major of this size, it can be challenging for faculty and coordinators to follow each student individually in terms of professional development and academic success. Many college students have barriers in achieving academic success, but minority students often experience greater barriers. Such barriers to completing a bachelor’s degree include a lack of minority student support and available safe spaces. These can contribute to low student progression (Martinez-Acosta & Favero, 2018). Culturally appropriate interventions, including minority, peer mentoring programs, can support low-performing and first-generation minority students and provide them with a foundation of skills necessary to acclimate to, progress through, and graduate from college. With the use of professional dispositions, academic advisors, and community resources, the CMWL program created UWG P.A.L.S. (Peer Advisors for Learning and Success). P.A.L.S. serves as a peer mentoring program for any CMWL student identifying as a minority, to increase self-efficacy to navigate college pathways and to succeed academically.
Keywords
peer mentoring, college students, academic success
Professional Bio
Sasha McBurse has over 10 years of experience in health and wellness. Her previous work includes positions in worksite wellness, community wellness, and youth fitness. Ms. McBurse attended the University of Georgia, earning a Master’s in Kinesiology in 2014. Ms. McBurse is a certified Exercise Physiologist by the American College of Sports Medicine and serves on the Exercise is Medicine-On Campus Committee. In addition, she is an AHA BLS Instructor and Lifestyle Coach for the CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program. Ms. McBurse serves as faculty at the University of West Georgia in the Health and Community Wellness program.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
McBurse, Sasha, "Minority Peer Mentoring in Health and Community Wellness" (2021). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 37.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2021/2021/37
Minority Peer Mentoring in Health and Community Wellness
Session 2 Presentations - College Students & Well-Being
The B.S. in Health and Community Wellness (CMWL) program at the University of West Georgia was launched in 2015. In 2016, the program had its first graduate. As of 2021, the program has grown into a diverse, unique program of approximately 300 students. With a major of this size, it can be challenging for faculty and coordinators to follow each student individually in terms of professional development and academic success. Many college students have barriers in achieving academic success, but minority students often experience greater barriers. Such barriers to completing a bachelor’s degree include a lack of minority student support and available safe spaces. These can contribute to low student progression (Martinez-Acosta & Favero, 2018). Culturally appropriate interventions, including minority, peer mentoring programs, can support low-performing and first-generation minority students and provide them with a foundation of skills necessary to acclimate to, progress through, and graduate from college. With the use of professional dispositions, academic advisors, and community resources, the CMWL program created UWG P.A.L.S. (Peer Advisors for Learning and Success). P.A.L.S. serves as a peer mentoring program for any CMWL student identifying as a minority, to increase self-efficacy to navigate college pathways and to succeed academically.
