EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Two hundred incoming first-year, first-generation college students at Eastern Michigan University are getting an early boost in their academic careers with the support of a new partnership between the Mentor Collective, an international online mentoring community, and Eastern.

The Mentor Collective aims to assist students in transitioning to college through a network of peer mentors trained to offer guidance and advice, including Eastern Michigan upperclassmen.

Mentor Collective students can use discussion guides and goal-setting activities, available through the program’s online platform, to spark meaningful conversations with their counterparts.

“This program will be very beneficial to our incoming students because it gives them an early connection with someone who can help guide them towards a successful academic career and become engaged outside of the classroom here at EMU,” said Calvin McFarland, Assistant Vice President of Academic Services at Eastern.

Eastern Michigan’s choice to prioritize mentorship for this population of students stems from a body of research illuminating the positive impacts of personalized, student-centered programs on graduation rates and academic achievement.

For more information about the Mentor Collective at Eastern Michigan University, or to participate as a mentor or mentee, please inquire at help@mentorcollective.org.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.