Promise Program first-year students were able to meet and connect with their mentors through coloring books provided by the Coffee and Convos with Peers event on Thursday in the library October 19.
Lead coordinator of the Peer-to-Peer program Sidra Bahadar arranged for the event to serve pastry snacks although no coffee, provided blank coloring book drawings of characters.
“The peer mentors suggested the drawings would be great conversation starters,” Bahadar said. “You need an ice-breaker to help new students open up. They thought it would be nice to color and talk about their favorite TV shows.”
Aiden Krueger was one of the first of many peer mentors to arrive at Coffee and Convos in the library building on Oct. 19. A computer science major, he began the event conversing with two first year students.
“I talked to this guy named David who had a similar degree and shared interest in games and then Finn who came from Chatsworth Charter High like I did so we talked about the commute,” Krueger said.
Coffee and Convos with Peers is meant to build opportunities for first year Promise students and returning former students to create a warm welcome to introduce themselves to their mentors.
The Los Angeles College Promise program works in connection with the mayor’s office to provide free 2-year tuition for applicants who meet the requirements.A Promise student would need to be full-time and maintain a 2.0 GPA in Pierce where they are assigned a second-year peer mentor at least once a semester. Pierce College ASO worked with the event to provide the snacks and a formal greeting was made by ASO President Gayane Zazyan. The social event continued with the peer mentors, easily recognized by their red lanyards, bonding with the first years attending.
In the coloring books provided, the characters ranged from Disney familiars like Lilo and Stitch to comic books like Spider-Man and Batman to Cartoon Network stars like the Powerpuff Girls.
Psychology major and peer mentor Genesis Medrano makes herself available for the Promise students three days a week. She shared her appreciation for the event.
“I think this whole thing with the coloring is cute. It’s nice we’re not just talking but just doing some sort of activity as well,” Medrano said.