Freshmen mentorship program introduced to student government

Program aims to help first year students get involved on campus

BEN SCHUH | THE DAILY EVERGREEN

ASWSU Senator Taylor Swanson hears a progress update from Director of University Affairs Bailey Fillinger at Wednesday’s ASWSU meeting in the CUB.

KIRSI LUNDHAGEN, Evergreen reporter
September 12, 2018

A new mentorship program for incoming freshmen was presented to ASWSU on Wednesday evening as a way for students to become engaged on campus.

“I think first-year programs are important, they are what make stu­dents stay here at WSU,” ASWSU President Savannah Rogers said. “It creates a community and builds bonds, not just with student-to-student, but student-to-mentor and student-to-faculty.”

The new mentorship program will catch all students who are not already invested in first-year programs like Emerging Leaders, Multicultural Student Services and Smart Start, Director of University Affairs Bailey Fillinger said.

Rogers said the mentorship program is continuously evolving as new ideas are introduced.

“At WSU your time and experi­ence here is so much more than the classes you are taking or the place that you are living, or your diploma or major,” Rogers said. “It’s about the people you meet and the relationships you make.”

The new mentorship program will not be implemented anytime soon, Rogers said.

“This is not something we just want to slap together and put a bow on. We know this is going to take a long time to configure,” Rogers said. “We are hoping to lay the groundwork for this proj­ect and make sure it’s stable and enjoyable for students.”