scholarly journals Work in Progress: Impacting Engineering First-year Student Retention Through a Nonconventional Engineering Learning Community

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Bartolomei-Suarez ◽  
Manuel Jimenez ◽  
Luisa Guillemard ◽  
Oscar Suarez ◽  
Aidsa Santiago-Román ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
First Year ◽  
Work In Progress ◽  
First Year Student

Peer Mentor Characteristics That Predict Supportive Relationships With First-Year Students: Implications for Peer Mentor Programming and First-Year Student Retention

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura J. Holt ◽  
James E. Fifer
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Attachment Style ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Peer Mentor ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Avoidant Attachment ◽  
First Year Student

Peer mentoring programs frequently are implemented on college campuses to enhance first-year college student retention; however, few studies have examined characteristics of peer mentors that are associated with more supportive mentor–mentee relationships, leaving college personnel with a limited understanding of how to improve these vital programs. Accordingly, in this prospective study, we examined whether mentors’ attachment style and self-efficacy to mentor predicted peer mentors’ ( n = 76) or mentees’ ( n = 999) ratings of mentor-provided support. Results showed that mentor self-efficacy mediated the relation between an avoidant attachment style and mentor-reported support; that is, peer mentors with a more avoidant attachment style reported lower self-efficacy to mentor and, in turn, endorsed providing lower levels of support for mentees. Mentor–mentee contact, however, was the only predictor of mentees’ ratings of mentor support. Future research should aim to extend these preliminary findings so as to inform the selection, training, and supervision of peer mentors in college settings, with the ultimate goal of enhancing first-year student retention.

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