Our mission

(1) To increase student retention and success in introductory STEM courses by providing peer support.

(2) To develop and strengthen a culture of research for undergraduate students as they explore non-traditional mini projects within a classroom setting.

(3) To create a sense of community and engagement among the commuter student body. In this program, students who have recently completed introductory STEM courses with a grade of B or higher become peer leaders, thus bringing a unique perspective and skill set for helping students who are entering the introductory STEM courses to approach their course materials. As part of this, a strong component of peer leading is to create a sense of community for the students with whom they are working, thus providing a safe and comfortable space for students to learn and grow.

Duties and Responsibilities of Peer Leader

• Helping students (answering questions, being a resource, and solving problems).
• Becoming acquainted and working with instructor.
• Assisting with class activities and teaching.
• Developing positive relationships with students.
• Making a difference in lives of freshmen and seeing progress in their adjustment to college.
• Serve as a role model for new students in academics, personal conduct, and leadership.
• Serve as liaison between instructor and students.

Potential Benefits of Becoming a Peer Leader

Reinforcement of fundamental programming concepts and becoming involved in a multi-tiered support network. In order to help other students to understand key concepts, peer leaders have to be able to fully understand those concepts in a more in-depth way. In addition, they have to be able to read other students' code, which is one of the more challenging things to learn in Computer Science. Joining the peer leader network helps peer leaders connect with other students both at their own class standing and with more advanced students. This means that they can receive insight and guidance from peers in the network, while also passing that advice and their own advice to students in their peer leading sessions.

How can becoming a peer leader potentially influence a person's career?

The purpose of networking is to form relationships with other individuals who will provide support and help you to achieve your goals. The peer leader structure is exactly this type of a multi-level network with both faculty and students at different stages in their educational paths and careers. It's important to start networking in college before students have even begun to consider entering the workforce and initially, this type of network will help students to navigate the university structure, find technical resources, get help with homework and projects, understand financial aid options, and provide overall emotional support - it's a big team! As students advance in their education, this network can take on different roles by providing career guidance, industry insight, internship possibilities and can help with landing a first job. In addition, by being a peer leader, students gain essential leadership skills as well as collaboration skills. These soft skills are at a premium for employers looking to build strong teams that will grow and support each other and create positive work environments.

Not Sure About Academic Requirements?

Apply and Contact

To apply for a peer leader postion: Click Here
For more information ↓
Phone: (773) 442-4726
Email: f-porps@neiu.edu