By Danna Ramos
The UIW FLIGHT Peer Mentoring Program was established in October 2021 with a mission for upperclassmen to help first-year students get acquainted with the campus and find a sense of belonging. The Title V program’s objective is to get first gen and low-income students to stay in college and graduate, but here at UIW, the objective is to get all students to walk the stage.
Dr. Deborah Quiñones, FLIGHT director, talks about the importance of the program and how it can help alleviate first-year students’ struggles. “There are three huge reasons why first-year students struggle: they get here, and they don’t find their niche or group, academics, and the financial need.”
Quiñones acknowledges the importance of students being able to advise other students and share their experiences when dealing with these issues. She explains how fellow peers help and motivate students to do things like attending events, going to office hours, and state where resources may be located.
“Our FLIGHT Peer Mentors are second, third [and fourth] year students who have had challenging academic situations; they have the lay of the land,” Quiñones adds. “They know where to go for assistance, who to ask, and how to ask.”
The University of the Incarnate Word has many resources first-year students and commuters may not know are available to them. One of them is “The Landing,” located in the Student Engagement Center.
Dr. Quiñones mentions this lounge that is available to all freshmen and commuters as an important resource. With a fridge, microwave, snacks, and overall place to relax, “The Landing” is a safe space for new students, but also those who commute to campus every day.
The FLIGHT Peer Mentor program is also set to open a Mentor Center where students can go to for physical and digital resources, as well as further mentoring. More information about this center will be provided later in the fall.
For more information on the FLIGHT Peer Mentoring program, reach out to Dr. Quinones via email at dquinone@uiwtx.edu.
