The first year of college is hard. Northern Arizona University Academic Transition Programs wants to make it a little easier.<\/p>\n
Academic Transition Programs (ATP) is prepared to support them as they begin their coursework. Through the department’s work, first-year students are given a peer navigator who aims to support these students as they navigate NAU. Peer navigators are upper-class students who want to use their experiences to help first-year students learn the ins and outs of NAU and how to be successful.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe navigators strive to help first-year student succeed both academically and socially,\u201d said Michelle Gardner<\/strong>, recruitment and program coordinator at ATP. \u201cUltimately, they want these students to love being a Lumberjack, and they do this through class instruction and mentoring. Peers are exceptionally more influential and informed about life on this campus. They know the inside tricks to navigating college.\u201d<\/p>\n ATP is seeking to employ more than 70 new peer navigators to join this effort. Peer navigators are student employees who support the mission of ATP. They work about 10-15 hours per week and are given an incredibly large set of skills and experiences to utilize in their future employment\/graduate school search. The positions connect with all majors and provide opportunity for the growth and expansion of transferrable skills employers are seeking from candidates.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing a peer navigator allows me to reach the best possible version of myself,\u201d said Gabriella Vida<\/strong>, a senior education major who is a peer instructor and recruitment program assistant. \u201cIt gives me the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on first-year students who may not have had the support or resources I was fortunate to have. Not only that, but it gives me the chance to tell first-year students that it\u2019s OK to struggle and make mistakes your first year of college because you\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n Learn more about the program and how to apply at the Academic Transition Programs website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"