Jump Start program continues to provide students with social, academic resources

Jump Start program continues to provide students with social, academic resources

A Northwest Missouri State University peer mentoring program continued this fall, now in its fourth year, to assist first-year students in acclimating to college life and promoting informational resources.

The program is designed to give students with similar interests a "jump start" by introducing them to resources that will help them transition to college. Students move onto campus early and participate in a variety of community-building activities, information sessions and skill workshops to support their development.

In support of their overall well-being, Jump Start students met Northwest faculty, staff and upper-class students to address needs such as wellness, safety, classroom expectations and student involvement. 

In recent years, Northwest has expanded the program and connected students with other areas on campus that can assist students throughout their entire college careers. The program is offered through the University's Center for Engagement and Community Connection and attracted 30 first-year students this fall.

The program aims to increase success and retention rates while at Northwest and after graduation.

"One of the main goals of our program is developing leaders on campus," Latonya Davis Harrison, a Northwest coordinator of engagement and community connection, said. "It's a mentoring program that we have for our students, and we track our students' progress throughout their time at Northwest, to ensure they are successfully matriculating and involved on campus. We want them all to graduate. That's the ultimate goal."

Jump Start students are paired with sophomores, juniors and seniors who serve as peer mentors during the program and throughout their years at Northwest. Many students in last year's Jump Start cohort served as mentors this fall, including four students who have been involved with Jump Start since it began.

Students participated in several activities such as group dinners, canoeing, bowling and games with peer mentors.

Even though she has grown up near the University, Hadley Cline, a freshman agricultural business major from Maryville, said she enjoyed getting to know her peers through Jump Start.

"I really liked all the teamwork building activities they did, like whenever we went to MOERA, that was a lot of fun," Cline said. "It really helped us get to know each other by doing engaging things and having fun."

Olivia Hayes, a freshman early childhood education major from Kirksville, Missouri, said she was interested in Jump Start because of the assistance the program offers.

"I was really nervous about moving in and just integrating into college life," Hayes said. "So when they were like 'You get to move in early and we'll help you with all this,' I was like 'Sign me up.'"

Brannon Taylor, a freshman psychology major from Kansas City, Missouri, said participating in the program greatly affected him in a positive way.

"I feel like it changed who I was as a person, because before I came, I was antisocial and unfriendly, but I feel like they forced me to be social, and I made a lot of friends while I was there," Taylor said.

For more information about the Jump Start program, contact Davis Harrison at 660.562.1584 or [email protected]or Senior Coordinator of Engagement and Community Connection Dr. Jessie Peter at 660.562.1478 or [email protected].