By Mari Pizzini
Phi Alpha Theta (PAT), Morningside’s History Honors Society, is restarting a mentorship program for history students.
“This mentor program is a group of upperclassmen history majors who have been assigned two-three underclassmen history majors or minors, in hopes of helping them with the adjustment to college and helping them feel welcomed to and prepared for Morningside’s History Program,” Riley Slechta, PAT’s President, said.
Although the mentors are all members of PAT, Slechta said this could change. Lauryn Baehr, PAT’s Vice President, said that the mentor program was created to adjust to the college’s COVID-19 specifications.
“We want to be there for the underclassmen who might not have access to their professors or the history community as they have had in the past,” Baehr said. “This program is basically a support system.” Mentors are expected to meet with their mentees once a month, and should send email check-ups once a week.
Baehr said, “I will be there to help with the history courses [the mentees] are taking, citations, questions about the department, and just to give advice to the younger generation of history students.”
Jordan Epp, PAT’s Treasurer, Secretary, and Historian, said that the lack of ability to have a semester get together in the history department was one of the deciding factors for creating this program.
“I have very high hopes for this program,” Slechta said. “I want this program to help inspire a sense of community and belonging. The mentors will helpfully create a sense of community in the department. Being a part of the history department is like being a part of a family.”
Slechta finished by saying she also hopes this program sparks an interest in new history students to join PAT when they meet the national requirements.
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