Every student comes to college with anxieties: The freshman 15, Friday morning classes, a difficult class, or that first frat party. While Tufts offers centers and counselors to deal with many of the large problems, it is often these concerns that can cause stress.
Tufts is unique, however, in the opportunities it creates for its students to receive guidance in the first semester. The Peer Academic Leaders (PAL) program designates upperclassmen to serve as advisors to small groups of freshmen during orientation, and the Explorations and Perspectives classes match the two for an entire semester. Yesterday, 235 students finished training to serve as peer leaders this year.
These upperclassmen are in a unique position to help students with an array of problems.
"A big part of the transition to Tufts is not only the academic but also the social," Orientation Coordinator Melissa Callan said. "It's important to meet with your academic advisors, but for the full picture you really need both sides."
According to senior Sarah Stroback, who is a peer leader for the third time this year, the fact that PALs have lived through these worries may make them more capable of addressing students' fears.
"It's often much easier to open up to students your own age," she said. "I've noticed a difference between sessions led by deans and ones led by students. I think peers offer many more realistic solutions to problems, especially in questions involving drugs and partying."
These social questions often prove the most worrisome to incoming freshmen who do not know what to expect from Tufts and the Boston area.
"During training they encourage us to talk about every social opportunity that is on campus. Tufts isn't a party school but there are definitely a lot of parties on and off campus. You say if you want to come out with us you can," Stroback said.
PAL Jen Chang agreed. "We're young, we do have some experience but it's a lot easier for them to relate to us and us to them. They trust the advice we give them - especially social advice."
Some may wonder if after only two days of training, peer leaders will have learned enough to expect the unexpected and handle students' heavier concerns. But Associate Dean of Student Services Jean Herbert says that PALs will at least know where to direct students for help.
"The strength of Tufts is that we have many layers for the students," he said. "We have trained them but they also know the resources which are available to them if they're not comfortable dealing with problems on their own."
During this training, peer leaders were taught ways to answer typical questions from incoming freshmen. They learned how to address scheduling and credit concerns, and how to teach new students to decipher Tufts' mysterious block schedule.
"They talk a lot about the resources on campus. You'll find out about these resources eventually, but it's nice to have someone present it to you all at once," Callan said.
On top of these responsibilities, Sophomore Sangeeta Parekh said, peer leaders also discussed signs of depression and what to do about drug use, sexual assault, or rape.
The training manual describes the position of a PAL as an "enormous undertaking" with "'intangible' responsibilities." Though many upperclassmen could dispense advice to freshmen, the PALs have been specifically chosen for their roles, and the application process is quite competitive.
"I think it's a privilege to be a peer leader," Callan said. "They've been chosen from a number of applicants. They're being trusted by the University to welcome these new students."
Applications for the position are due each spring and reviewed by Associate Dean of Student Services, Chris Nwabeke. Nwabeke reviews these applications, choosing PALs based on GPA, involvement with extracurricular activities, short essays, and references. "Ultimately, it becomes [Nwabeke's] decision," said Herbert. Nwabeke was unavailable for comment.
"I know quite a few people who were rejected by the program," Stroback said. As a returning peer leader Stroback faces extra scrutiny, as she must rely on a reference from one of her previous advisees. But Stroback says the personal paybacks that the position offers keep her applying year after year.
"It's rewarding to see students show up at events you recommend and see them get excited over activities at Tufts," said Stroback. Chang agreed that it was this giving-back-to-the-community attitude which had attracted her to the role. "I had such a good first year experience here. I felt it was something to do to reassure incoming freshmen that it's not scary," she said.
