Indiana University Indianapolis
EN-1: Student Educators Program

The Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) Service Learning Assistant (SLA) positions work an average of 10 hours per week. SLAs work alongside an environmental science students from IUPUI, CEES staff, and a community partner delivering environmental science education in a variety of community parks and gardens. CEES hosts 10-14 service learning projects for IUPUI students per semester (More information:https://cees.iupui.edu/opportunities-cees). SLAs also assist with research and report writing associated with the service learning program, field and laboratory research at CEES, and educating their peers at service learning events. Description of peer-to-peer activities: - SLAs act as in-field educational resources for students taking part in environmental service learning events at IUPUI. They train their peers on academic topics including: invasive species, water quality, soil health, ecosystem services, endangered species, dead zones, climate change, and others. They also lead in-field invasive species removal events. - SLAs also engage their peers in how to solve the issues learned in the field in their every day life - SLAs are to plan, organize, and host one service learning event (in addition to the 10-14 CEES service learning events hosted every semester) for their peers on their own at some point each semester" Description of peer-to-peer activities: - SLAs act as in-field educational resources for students taking part in environmental service learning events at IUPUI. They train their peers on academic topics including: invasive species, water quality, soil health, ecosystem services, endangered species, dead zones, climate change, and others. They also lead in-field invasive species removal events. - SLAs also engage their peers in how to solve the issues learned in the field in their every day life - SLAs are to plan, organize, and host one service learning event (in addition to the 10-14 CEES service learning events hosted every semester) for their peers on their own at some point each semester

SLAs are chosen through a competitive process. Applicants must meet all academic requirements (see below) and submit a resume, statement of interest, and downloadable application to CEES staff. Once applications are screened, top candidates are invited to interview. From this interview process, SLAs are selected. SLA ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS An IUPUI undergraduate student who is selected by faculty or professional staff must: - Have completed at least 15 credit hours at IUPUI - Carry at least a 2.75 grade point average - Enroll in and complete at least 9 credit hours at IUPUI during the semester in which he or she receives the SLA scholarship. (The minimum for summer awards is 3 credit hours.) An IUPUI graduate student who is selected by faculty or professional staff must: - Complete at least 6 credit hours at IUPUI - Carry at least a 3.00 grade point average (or 3.00 undergraduate GPA if in his or her first semester of graduate school) - Enroll in and complete at least 6 credit hours at IUPUI during the semester in which he or she receives the SLA scholarship. (The minimum for summer awards is 3 credit hours.)

CEES SLAs are trained by CEES staff, IUPUI Center for Service and Learning Staff, and community partners. CEES STAFF TRAINING: SLAs must: - Attend CEES SLA orientation - Meet weekly with their CEES supervisor for project updates, work assignments, and for staff meetings - Attend community partner meetings to introduce themselves to partners they will be working with throughout the semester(s) - Receive in-field training on a weekly basis once service learning events begin CENTER FOR SERVICE AND LEARNING TRAINING: SLAs must: - Attend SLA orientation - Complete at least one professional development activity and write a reflection on the experience - Submit a final report narrative upon completion of the SLA

SLA's are funded through a grant from the Center for Service and Learning. SLA's receive a stipend of $1,500 per semester.

Health and Wellness Peer Educators are trained to assist with programming and outreach to educate students about relevant issues related to health and wellness that affect our campus community. Peer Educators receive training on health topics such as stress management, sexual health, diet and nutrition, physical activity, in addition to organizational training for program development, public speaking, and evaluation. Students were welcomed to campus with Mocktails at First Night in the Campus Center, which is a tradition and signature event facilitated by Peer Health Educators. Other outreach and awareness traditions continued, including Stress Busters Week, which featured 14 events and 6 campus partners, and the Rx Drug Take-Back with IUPD, which collected over 100 lbs of expired and unwanted medications. Professional staff, peer health educators and student employees, facilitated classroom presentations by request and HWP facilitated a total of 82 presentations this semester to a total audience of 1,983 students. They host BASICS interventions and group alcohol sanctions, seeing an increase this year compared to past years. Monthly HIV/STI testing events brought free testing services to 365 student on-campus. Health and Wellness Coaching saw 8 active clients attending a total of 33 sessions. Recovery coaching continued with a total of 70 sessions provided by our partnership with Fairbanks. The Collegiate Recovery Community demonstrated ongoing consistency in support meeting attendance, with 199 attendees across 45 meeting times. Health and Wellness Promotion, through a partnership with the School of Public Health, met with senior leadership from the Chancellor’s Office to incorporate messaging approaches adapted during the Tobacco Free Generation College Initiative grant from the American Cancer Society to inform marketing efforts for the university’s tobacco free campus policy. During AY 2019, IU Communications delivered a completed tobacco-free policy awareness campaign called Smoke is Smoke that is being rolled out across campus led by a collaboration between HWP and the School of Public Health.

The student educators go through a competitive application process. The top contenders go through an in-person interview before final selections are made. Priorities when hiring are experience and diversity.

Training began with a two day retreat of 14.5 hours, where both returning and newly recruited Peer Health Educators spent time receiving a variety of training. The training included topic specific education, program planning, evaluation, assessment and team building. Each student received a professional headshot and health and wellness binder with valuable training resources. To increase retention, each of the 5 students who returned from the previous year received nationally-renowned certification granted through NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The retention incentive is offered to each student after fulfillment of at least one semester of the two semester commitment. To date, 4 of the 5 trained CPE students have completed the national requirements to become certified.

The program has an annual budget of $5,720.

The OTEAM is an undergraduate student leadership group dedicated to engaging new students and families as they attend orientation and begin classes at IUPUI. During the summer, OTEAM leaders serve as orientation leaders and introduce the campus to more than 5,000 students and 2,500 family members who are new to IUPUI. In the fall, approximately 170 OTEAM members participate in first-year seminars, including Summer Bridge and Themed Learning Community sections, as peer mentors. In 2018, approximately 1,500 incoming students were peer mentored by the OTEAM. At least one Themed Learning Community was solely dedicated to sustainability - "Sustainability: Thriving Community, Thriving Planet." Other OTEAM responsibilities include: Be approachable and available to meet the needs of first-year students through summer orientation and the academic year Assist first-year students to adjust and to transition into IUPUI Serve as an advocate for the interests, needs, and rights of first-year students Serve as a mentor and peer advisor to students for academic, co-curricular, leadership, and campus involvement Be a resource and referral agent for students, faculty, staff, and other members of the IUPUI community Complete various other duties and expectations as directed by the directors and student coordinators

"O Team" members must meet the following requirements: Be a current full-time undergraduate student at IUPUI Be in good standing with the university Possess positive communication and teamwork skills Be creative and have personal initiative Be willing to interact with a diverse group of people Have a desire to assist students, families, faculty, and staff Have a minimum GPA of 2.8 Must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours Attend all University College mentor education courses EACH semester of mentoring Prospective OTeam members must go through a competitive application process, including the submission of an application, cover letter, resume. Those selected will sit through an in-person interview with supervisors and unit leaders.

The OTEAM goes through an intensive 40 hour per week, 4 week training where they go through mentorship training, diversity training, and team building. Trainees receive presentations from every single department in the university, where they learn the ins and outs of all student-related needs. The OTEAM meets with IUPUI Sustainability for a training session on campus-wide initiatives in the areas of operations, academic and engagement.

OTEAM members receive $10.50 an hour for the duration of their training and work.

International Peer Mentoring Program (IPMP) at IUPUI IUPUI 21st Century Scholars peer mentoring program IUPUI Honors College peer mentor program Diversity Enrichment & Achievement Program (DEAP) Peer Mentors IUPUI Graduate Mentoring Center Advancing Women Mentoring Program EMPOWER, Enhanced Mentoring Program with Opportunities for Ways to Excel in Research IUPUI Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals (PFFP) The annual IUPUI Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals (PFFP) Pathways Conference participants engage in seminars, workshops and networking opportunities designed to build awareness, skill and relationships amongst peers and experts IUPUI is the site host for the National Mentoring Symposium,an annual national conference that brings together peer mentors and program directors from across the country to discuss the value of peer mentoring and enhance mentoring skills. CIRTL at IUPUI is a learning community of graduate students and postdocs to engage in the discussion and development of reflective and evidence-based teaching approaches with strategies that leverage student diversity and shared learning experiences. dedicated to the advancement of undergraduate education in STEM and other disciplines through the professional development of future faculty. CIRTL accomplishes this advancement through the core ideas of Teaching-as-Research, Learning Communities, and Learning Through Diversity

The entire IUPUI student body is supported by numerous peer mentoring programs and services. Peer mentoring is core to IUPUI, which is why we host the annual National Peer Mentoring Symposium. "Peer Mentoring is about building relationships and being a guide for students when they need it. Sometimes all that is needed is a caring individual with a willingness to listen to make a difference in a student’s life and prompt the student toward a positive, successful academic and life journey. So it is exciting to see peer mentors and educators from across the country coming together to contribute their knowledge, expertise, and ideas about serving students through peer mentoring." Jay Gladden, Ph.D. Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education