EPIC Mentorship / Student Support Services

Transcript

Making the jump from high school to college can be challenging, which is why I wanna chat with Maddey about Western’s EPIC Mentorship Program. EPICs are upper class students who help both first-year and transfer students navigate their transitions to Western and connect them with campus resources. Maddey, let’s hear a little bit more about you and the EPIC Program.

– Thank you, Alex. Howdy, everyone. Growing up in Colorado Springs as a first generation student, my priority in finding a college was making sure it had all the resources and opportunities for me to succeed. Western Colorado University has the unique opportunity for all incoming students to be paired with a mentor that guides them through their first year at Western. Coming to college is scary, but having an EPIC Mentor and experienced peer initiating connections helped me find my belonging on campus. My first year at Western, my EPIC Mentor showed me how to network and encouraged me to go after leadership roles. One, two, three!

– I joined the Women’s Hockey Team and found a wonderful community. Now, in my last year at Western, I’m the President of the Women’s Hockey Team and the Student Coordinator of the EPIC Mentor Program. As a mentor, we know all the resources around campus to get you connected, like the Math Center, Writing Center, and mental health resources. Being a mentor is a bridge of communication from professional offices and staff to students. It’s also being your cheerleader and someone who nudges you to keep fighting at the end of the semester. One of my favorite things about being an EPIC Mentor is seeing my mentees succeed in their classes after struggling in the first few weeks of classes. Western is not just a small town college, but a way to get to know my professors and classmates on a personal level. Once I graduate from Western, I’ll be taking a gap year before going to physical therapy school, in hopes to be a physical therapist for athletes. That’s my EPIC story. Back to you, Alex.

– Thanks, Maddey, and keep up the awesome work. It’s great to see students like you sharing resources and tools to help your new peers to not just survive, but thrive in their first semester at Western.