Jump Start peer mentoring program continues providing first-year students with personal, academic resources

Northwest Missouri State University’s Jump Start program continued its effort this fall to assist first-year students with similar backgrounds, interests and perspectives through team-building activities as well as promoting informational resources.

Jump Start began in 2022 with a grant awarded to Northwest by the Missouri College & Career Attainment Network to give marginalized students a chance to “jump start” their academic career by moving in early and introducing them to resources that will assist them with transitioning into college.

Though the grant funding ended last spring, Northwest moved to expand the program and connect other departments that could assist students throughout their entire college careers. Jump Start started with only nine students during its first year and grew to 34 students this fall.

The Jump Start program engages first-year students with similar backgrounds, interests and perspectives in team-building activities and informs them about resources available at Northwest. (Photos by Todd Weddle/Northwest Missouri State University)

Jump Start students participate in team-building exercises, including navigating the climbing towers at MOERA.

“The goal is to have the students that are in Jump Start now grow and develop into peer mentors as well as to help future incoming first-year students succeed,” Latonya Davis, a Northwest coordinator of diversity and inclusion, said. “It’s meant to develop leaders on campus in lots of ways.”

Jump Start students are paired with upperclassmen students as mentors who assist them with getting acclimated to college, finding community and guiding them to resources needed to help them succeed. Students also participate in skill workshops to aid their development as well as social community-building activities.

This fall, Jump Start students participated in team-building exercises at MOERA, bowling, a campus scavenger hunt and a session with faculty and staff.

Once students are in the Jump Start program, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will follow these students and track their progress throughout their time at Northwest. The program creates change by attempting to increase students’ retention, persistence and success rates after college.

Jessica Giles, a junior elementary education major from Liberty, Missouri, joined Jump Start as a mentor to build community on campus.

“I learned leadership. That helped with all kinds of things like time management and having people relying on you,” Giles said.

Annette Guijarro, a junior early childhood education major from Kansas City, Missouri, enjoyed how the program prepares students for college - academically and socially. Getting to know and building relationships with faculty members was also helpful.

“It was a good way to get to know campus and meet some people that are in the same boat as me,” Guijarro said. “A lot of my friends are people I met through (Jump Start) and I have so many connections now even to people who aren’t in my same major or don’t have any classes together.”

Rashelle Taylor, a freshman pre-nursing major from Blue Springs, Missouri, enjoyed getting to move in early and becoming familiar with the campus.

“I didn’t think it would introduce me to so many people and so many different students. I have made some of my best friends here,” Taylor said.

For more information about the Jump Start program, contact Davis at 660.562.1584 or ldavis@nwmissouri.edu or Senior Coordinator of Diversity Dr. Jessie Peter at 660.562.1747 or jpeter@nwmissouri.edu.