Compass Mentor Application
What is a Compass Mentor?
Compass Mentors work with 3-4 first-year students who identify as first-generation and/or lower-income. A mentor's main objective is to assist their mentees as they navigate Northwestern, seek out resources, and find community. Mentors do this by facilitating one-on-one meetings and social events for mentees and driving dialogue at weekly workshops. Compass Mentors begin supporting their mentee in the Fall through the end of the academic year.
Compass Mentor Responsibilities
- Attend weekly Team Meeting: Tuesdays- 4:00-5:30 PM (this time will remain the same throughout the year)
- Coordinate and facilitate bi-weekly one-on-one with each mentee to provide support
- Drive dialogue about navigating Northwestern as a first year FGLI student at weekly Compass Workshops Fridays 2:30-4:30pm
- Plan and attend Compass social events
- Manage quarterly budget for mentee outings
- Participate in bi-weekly 1:1s with SES staff
Important Dates
- Compass Mentor Fall Retreat: Friday 9/15 and Saturday 9/16 (Please plan to arrive to campus by Thursday, 9/14 )
Characteristics of a successful Compass Mentor
- Prioritize position by being timely to all group events and meetings
- Work with and around academic schedule to attend mandatory programming
- Passion for FGLI students and new student needs
- Desire to serve as a role model and mentor
- Desire to foster an inclusive Compass community
- Understanding of how to advocate for self and others
- Able and willing to engage with students in varying academic/social environments
- Exceptional interpersonal and relationship building skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Positive attitude
- Flexibility
- Organized
Qualifications
- Must identify as a lower-income student
- Must have 3.0 GPA at the time of application
- Must be a full-time second year, third year, or fourth year undergraduate student in good academic and non-academic standing
- Must be on-campus for the 2024-2025 academic year (Students with a local practicum/JR are eligible)
- Strong interest in the support and development of lower-income and/or first-generation college students
Compensation
Mentors will be paid hourly at a $16 rate. They will work between 3.5 to 8 hours depending on the week.
Apply
In Fall 2022 SES began to oversee the Summer Academic Workshop (SAW), a summer bridge program that shares similar goals to the Compass Mentor position-supporting FGLI students through their first-year transition to NU. To increase efficiency, we are running the SAW Counselor and Compass Mentor recruitment and selection process together. The application will open on Sunday, April 2nd and will be called the SES Student Leader Application.
You will be able to select whether you are applying to one or both positions. We will be sharing information and updates in the SES Newsletter. If you are not subscribed, please contact enrichment@northwestern.edu with the subject “Please add me to the SES Listserv”.
Applying involves 4 steps:
- Attend a required Virtual SES Student Leader Info Session.
- Tuesday, April 4, 5-5:30 pm, register here
- Wednesday, April 5, 5:30-6pm, register here
- Thursday, April 13, 5-5:30 pm, register here
- Friday, April 14, 1-1:30 pm, register here
- Complete the SES Student Leader Application
- Participate in a Group Interview process
- Applicants selected to continue in our interview process will be scheduled for an individual interview
Application
The SES Student Leader application collects basic information and has an essay portion. Once the application is submitted you will receive a confirmation email. Please read this email carefully as it provides instructions t for a group interview. Below are the essay questions.
Essay Questions
- Tell us why you want to be a Compass Mentor and/or a SAW Counselor. (150 words)
- Please share your definition of peer mentorship and why it is beneficial for a first-gen and/or lower income (FGLI) first-year? (200 words)
- Write to a new student about an experience, specific to being FGLI, that challenged you during your first year at Northwestern. Please include what you learned and what you would want this new student to take away from your experience. (300 words)
Group Interview
The Group Interviews are scheduled for:
- Wednesday, April 19, 6-7:15 pm
- Thursday, April 20, 3:45-5:00 pm
- Monday, April 24, 3:45-5:00pm
You will be able to select the session you are unavailable for when complete the SES Student Leader Application. During the group interview you will complete 2 group activities. One will focus on group dynamics and the other on creativity.
Individual Interviews
Applicants selected to continue in our interview process will be scheduled for an individual interview.
Questions
For questions or more information about the Compass Mentor position, please contact: Mayra Garces, Associate Director- Student Enrichment Services mayra.garces@norhtwestern.edu