Peer Advising Program

What Is Peer Advising Program?

The Peer Advising Program, coordinated by the Student Development and Experience Department at Özyeğin University and affiliated with the Social Change Volunteers Unit, is a peer support and solidarity program carried out with the aim of facilitating the adaptation of undergraduate and preparatory students to the social, cultural and academic life of the campus.

Starting university comes with its own peculiar challenges:

• Meeting new people,
• Adapting to courses,
• Developing new ways of studying,
• Understanding different expectations from the professors,
• Managing “free time”,
• Being introduced to new areas of independence, and a bunch of new additional responsibilities...

But the adjustment can be made easier with the help of those who have had the same experiences and learned how things work. And that’s why we created the Peer Advising Program. Our Peer Advisors are volunteer students who are trained to share their own experiences with advisees. The Peer Advising Program aims to help new students learn the OzU Way. The Peer Advising Program ignites new friendships through which new students gain new knowledge, skills, and experiences, and see that they are not alone in the face of challenges.

What are the Subjects that the Peer Advisor is Responsible for?

Peer advisors support students in the following subjects from the first year:

• They organize meetings with new students and introduce them to their faculties.
• They work with weekly, face-to-face and e-consulting methods.
• They answer frequently asked questions from students, such as discovering university resources and tools, and getting used to campus life at OzU.
• They participate in one-off or regular training programs and meetings.
• Diploma programs in which the students are registered and the regulation valid throughout the university,
• help them understand the procedures, rules and conditions.
• They encourage new students to take a more active role in campus life.
• They direct the students to the relevant offices, academic and administrative staff.
• Counseling on the course and the curriculum is carried out within the framework of a peer relationship. It is not equivalent to the academic advisory services offered by the 360 Advising Unit.

In Which Events and Organizations Do Peer Advisors Take Part in the Process?

• Pre-Orientation Meeting
• Orientation Program
• Trainings Supporting Peer Advising Qualifications

What are the requirements of being a Peer Advisor?

• Successfully completing the SEC101 – Introduction to University Life Course within one academic year,
• Having a GPA of 2.5 and above in the current semester,
• To be a registered student in the current semester and being enrolled in the university for the next semester,
• Not graduating by the end of the fall semester,
• To have studied at least one academic year in the Faculty or School of which they are registered,
• Not having received any disciplinary action since the academic year they were registered at the university,
• To give answers to the Application Form describing the qualifications of Peer Advising.

Qualifications Required for Peer Advisors and Faculty Supervisor Peer Advisors:

• Self-aware,
• Able to communicate in a qualified and effective manner within the scope of their duties,
• Have the principle of learning to learn,
• Have decision-making and problem-solving skills,
• Successful in time management,
• Have team spirit,
• Developed responsibility taking skills,
• Have leadership skills,
• Developed social skills,
• Successful in stress and anger management,
• Open to development,
• Open to different cultures, ethnicities and lifestyles.

What Did We Do in the 2022-23 Academic Year for the Peer Advising Program?

• We conducted our program with 79 Peer Advisors and 11 Faculty Peer Advisors.
• We Supported 1793 Newly Entered Students in their First Year and Solved All Their Problems Together.
• We conducted a total of 5960 interviews with students.
• We conducted the 2022-23 Academic Year Orientation together.
• We organized pizza nights.
• We have graduated many of our Peer Advisors and we are very excited to meet our new Peer Advisors!

Why Should I Become a Peer Advisor?

According to the results of the Quantitative Impact Assessment conducted in 2021 in Özyeğin University;

• It has been found that peer advising can be effective in the development of various competence groups for graduates. For example, in terms of Social Responsibility Awareness, peer Advising graduate candidates were found to be more competent.
• Candidate Peer Advising graduates find themselves significantly more competent in terms of competency than the non-advising group.
• It has been concluded that students who were Peer Advisors find a job at a higher rate during the first year after their graduation.

Contact

E-mail: student.life@ozu.edu.tr
Office: Öğrenci Merkezi, 2. Kat, 2B24E
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