The Pierce College Transfer Center brought in University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Peer Mentor Monday to inform students on the transfer process and promote the goal of transferring more students to four-year institutes.
The peer mentor program is part of the Center of Community College Partnerships that provides a variety of aid to community college students from scholarships to major program. Anthony Elder is the peer mentor for Pierce College and comes in every Monday from 10 a.m until 3 p.m.
“The group goal is to get students to transfer to a four-year institute. Personally, I want to help someone go their dream school and study in their desired field,” Elder said.
Nursing major Yessenia Nevarez attended the peer mentor on Monday and spoke to Elder about the transfer requirements.
“In my head I thought it was going to be really hard to get in, but after talking to Elder, he encouraged me to go there. He started telling me all the different activities and things they do at UCLA for nursing,” Nevarez said.
Elder said he is still a student at UCLA who represents the administration in his visits to Pierce College as a peer mentor.
“[A] peer mentor is someone who is still in the trenches of the academia that we are going through. So, I’m still a student there. I’m wrapping up my senior year. While this is still fresh I’m trying to provide other students with what I’ve picked up along the way or have obtained from other students,” Elder said.
Psychology major Syrus Gibson was interested in learning about more transferring.
“Everybody has goals and if you’re not making progress it’s a waste of time and money,” said Gibson.
Pierce College Transfer Center Director Sunday Salter coordinated the peer mentor and organized getting the mentors here on campus.
“They have a program with a very long standing called the California Community College Partnership Program where they provide the service to students who might be potential transfers to UCLA. So they can be more comfortable with learning from a student instead of faculty,” Salter said.
