Genesis Mentoring’s first annual Mentor/Mentee Appreciation Week is currently in progress.
According to the Office of Multicultural Affairs Web site, Genesis Mentoring is “deemed as the flagship program for recruitment, retention, and graduation of ethnic minority students.”
“Genesis Mentoring is one of the many services OMA provides to encourage interaction between University students,” Maurice Gipson, the Genesis Mentoring Student Advisor said. “At the beginning of the year, the program pairs upperclass students with sophomores and freshmen. The upperclassmen pass along their college experiences to their mentees and encourage them to cultivate strong academic and social roots.”
Gipson said the purpose of this week is to showcase the relationship between mentors and their mentees.
Gipson said planning for this week-long event has been underway since the beginning of this semester.
“This week we have several activities planned,” he said.
Gipson said yesterday was the kickoff.
“We sat in Free Speech Alley, passed out Hershey’s Hugs and Kisses and publicized the events students can look forward to seeing this week,” he said.
Today, Gipson said, mentors and mentees are participating in “Who’s Who,” an event in which the mentor and mentees impersonate each other throughout the day.
“At 7 p.m. in the Castilian Room, we’ll have a ‘Know Your Mentor/Mentee’ game show,” he said.
Gipson said Wednesday is Genesis Day.
“Wednesday we will promote and recruit students to become involved with Genesis Mentoring,” he said.
Gipson said he first began working with Genesis Mentoring at the beginning of his freshman year.
“At that time, Roderick Smothers was the director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs,” he said.
Gipson said he asked Smothers for permission to revamp the current mentoring program that was in place.
“Academics, personal growth, leadership, and social interaction are four necessary elements vital for the success of college students,” he said. “The Genesis Mentoring program incorporates all of these elements.”
Tammy Sam, an English and psychology junior, said she has participated in both the Genesis Mentoring program and Summer Scholars program.
“Mentoring programs are a great way for incoming students to develop a level of comfort with the University and upperclass students,” said Sam. “However, the relationship between the mentor and mentee is dependent on both individuals being committed to the program,” she said.