Kristin Marthaler

SDSU is filled with many students from other countries. For many of them, English is at least their second or third language. And sometimes, these students get thrown right into the American culture.

SDSU has a program that will make attending school in America easier for minorities. Minority Peer Mentoring program is a group of student volunteers that work with students from other countries.

“We mentor incoming minority students that are just coming to SDSU,” says Cherlene Richards, a junior broadcast journalism major and advisor for the Minority Peer Mentoring Program.

These student volunteers try to make it easier for minority students to fit in.

Marie High Bear, junior broadcast journalism major, says she works with many Native American mentees because she is Native American and they feel more comfortable with her.

“We don’t just tutor the students; we create a friendship that will last; we are their support system while they are here,” she says. “I’m someone that knows what they are going through, I’m someone they can talk to and turn to.”

There are nine mentors in the program, with 23 mentees. The program is more than just helping them with their homework and learning the English language, they also hold workshops, High Bear says. For example, they are hosting a stress reliever workshop for on April 6 from7 to 9 p.m. in the Lincoln Music Hall. Yoga instructors will come in and teach everyone how to relax and relieve stress.

The Minority Peer Mentoring Program also holds socials for the minority students to get to know other students better. The socials and workshops are held once a month, but they do one event each week. That way, more students can get involved with the activities. “This program has only been going for a little while, I’m glad they have it though,” Richards says.

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