View from the Forest Recap: International Peer Mentorship Programs
MSM Higher Ed President Donna Hooker defines the dynamics of international peer mentorship programs, enumerates their benefits, and provides guidance for institutions moving forward from the pandemic in this episode of “View From The Forest.”
“We all need human interaction and a familiar face to guide us in new, strange lands,” related Donna. “This adage also applies to international students as we welcome them into our campuses.”
A seasoned educator with over 30 years of experience, Donna has witnessed firsthand the explosive growth in international student mobility in the last couple of decades. In the video, she shares how life could be very challenging at first for all the new students settling into their new campus located halfway across the world. Thankfully, there are International Peer Mentorship Programs in place which make the study abroad experience a whole lot easier for these students.
Key Points at a Glance
- International Peer Mentorship Programs can hone students’ leadership skills and shape their personal and professional growth, among many other benefits.
- Peer mentors should ideally possess cross-cultural sensitivity and a sense of professionalism.
- A well-designed peer mentorship program can help students integrate into a new academic environment even in the face of online learning.
“Through an International Peer Mentorship Program, international students and their peer mentors can form lifelong friendships,” she said.
Besides the benefits it provides for the newcomers, Donna outlines some of the program’s benefits for the student-volunteers who apply to be peer mentors as well. For one, these people develop leadership skills and undergo personal and professional growth.
“Peer mentors can be a mix of domestic students or international students with experience at the institution. They work together to assist new students from the time that they arrive at the campus and throughout the first semester. The most important qualification for a peer mentor is a good sense of cross-cultural sensitivity and a sense of professionalism that includes being aware of personal boundaries,” said Donna.
To conclude, Donna reminds higher education institutions of the new study environment the pandemic has brought about, most especially the emergence of online learning. She highlights that this could be a problem when it comes to integrating international students. However, the confidence remains in a well-developed International Peer Mentorship Program no matter what the medium. It has done well for past students and will continue to provide the same experience for students of the future—whether onsite or off-site.
New student or peer mentor, these “programs can be one of the most memorable experiences of their college or university life.”
Watch the complete episode of “View From The Forest.” To learn more about MSM Higher Ed, follow the MSM Higher Ed YouTube channel and subscribe for more videos.
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DONNA HOOKER
President, MSM Higher Ed
Donna Hooker has worked in the international education field for 30 years. She has a comprehensive knowledge of policy and practise in the public post-secondary education system in British Columbia, Canada and worldwide. She is a past board chair for the BC Centre for International Education and has held senior management roles at BC Institute for Technology, Vancouver Community College, and most recently at Capilano University.
VIEW FROM THE FOREST
Donna Hooker, MSM Higher Ed President
Donna Hooker, MSM Higher Ed President, takes you to her lush home in Upper Fraser Valley, British Columbia to talk about different trends and issues affecting the international education industry. Watch, learn and subscribe to the channel to get her invaluable vlog series, “View from the Forest.”
ABOUT MSM HIGHER ED
MSM Higher Ed offers education management solutions that create opportunities for students while building capacity for international student enrollment and new revenue streams for partner institutions. Through viable public-private partnerships (PPPs), licensing agreements, program pathways based on articulation arrangements and pan-national and transnational program delivery, we create opportunities for students to earn career-oriented credentials preparing their career or academic advancement. MSM Higher Ed manages private institutions Eton College Canada, Q College, Q Academy, Taylor Pro College, Extreme Pro Training, and College Multihexa.