By Zoe Lance
As a supporter of education and an advocate for mental health awareness, supporting peer mentorship at 海角社区CI seemed like a perfect fit for former U.S. Second Lady Tipper Gore.
To that end, Gore has become the founding donor for 鈥淭he Tipper Gore Award for Excellence in Peer Mentorship,鈥� which will provide $3,500 a semester for selected peer mentor 鈥渁mbassadors鈥� who will continue to mentor as well as take on other responsibilities to advocate for the program.
Gore, who splits her time between Virginia and Santa Barbara, is a relatively new friend to 海角社区CI, but has been such a champion for the University that she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the 2018 Commencement ceremony.
鈥淚 really fell in love with the University and the people I met there and the student body,鈥� Gore said. 鈥淚 asked what the University really needed and I was told about the peer mentorship program.鈥�
Gore believes in the power of peer mentors who can provide students with academic, emotional and practical support for what can be an unfamiliar environment.
鈥淚t鈥檚 another person in a closer age bracket so they can identify more,鈥� Gore said. 鈥淎 teacher or older person might be able to dispense advice and guidance, but when that guidance comes from someone close to their age with some experience under their belts, it鈥檚 more meaningful.鈥�
I really fell in love with the University and the people I met there and the student body.
Tipper Gore
After transferring to 海角社区CI from Alan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Business major Bryan Calazan was struggling. He was overwhelmed attending school full time while also holding down a full-time job.
鈥淲hen I transferred from junior college, I was not expecting how hard it would be for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really know how to balance things.鈥�
Not only was he the first in his family to attend college, he had also grown up in the Philippines speaking Tagalog, so English was a second language.
When he found himself on academic probation, he sought help from the University鈥檚 Peer Education & Equity Program (PEEP), which provides peer mentors to students who need help.
He was paired with Sarah Teniente, who was also a first-generation college student, a Business major, and had transferred from Alan Hancock College in Santa Maria.
鈥淚t was hard for him because he鈥檚 the full provider for his family,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 helped him with his grammar, offered study tips and guided him to other free resources on campus. I鈥檝e gone through what he鈥檚 gone through.鈥�
Teniente says the help she gives her mentees is not confined to academics.
鈥淚鈥檓 there for my mentees for anything they need,鈥� she said. 鈥淧icking professors, roommate problems 鈥� I鈥檒l be able to guide them in the right direction.鈥�
Gore hopes others will contribute to the peer mentorship fund so those success stories continue to multiply and have a positive impact on more young adult lives.
To learn more or support the peer mentorship program visit:
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漏 Fall 2018 / Volume 22 /Number 02 / Bi-annual