Peer Advisors: Who are they and what do they do?

Peer advisors do exactly what their title suggests, that is, they advise their peers.  Many advising and student services offices on campus rely on student workers/interns to act as the first line of contact with faculty, staff, and other students.  Harpur Academic Advising began employing peer advisors through an external grant almost three decades ago.  Because of the program’s success, Harpur College continued to provide budget support for the program after the grant ended.  Since then, the program has continued to grow strong with a number of former peers pursuing graduate studies and careers in Student Affairs.  This says something about the positive nature of the experience for the students involved, which is reflected in their daily contact with other students. Peer advisors in Harpur Advising provide students with basic procedural information, explain degree requirements, assist students with scheduling and registration questions, and perform other office tasks.  Most importantly, the peer advisors triage student needs, referring more specialized questions to the secretarial staff and the most involved and pressing student situations to the professional advisors.  Peer advisors are supervised by the professional and support staff in Harpur Advising, and are engaged in ongoing training. A student’s experience as a peer advisor allows this individual to gain invaluable skills applicable to everyday situations and relevant to their professional development.  Some examples of skills gained are oral and interpersonal communication skills, professionalism, ability to work well under pressure and many more.  The list could go on and on!  Of course, the peer advising experience is a great way to learn the ins and outs of the university and to make great friends as many of the former peers would attest. The next time you see or work with a peer advisor, remember the importance of their role to our university.  We couldn’t do it without them!