The University’s Peer Advising Committee will host its inaugural Fall Welcome Fair featuring information tables from various peer advising groups on Grounds. The fair, to be held Saturday, Aug. 27 in the Amphitheatre from 12-2 p.m., will also include free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Duck Donuts.
“The fair's main purpose is to expose first-years and transfer students to the plethora of resources available to them here on Grounds,” Sunil Narasimhan, third-year Commerce student and publicity and advertising chair for the Peer Advising Committee, said.
Members of the newly-created committee hope this event will create a lasting collaboration between the numerous peer advising groups across Grounds in order to better serve students.
“Many of our groups share the exact same mission, which is to improve the experience and ease the transition of first-year students into their time at U.Va. by providing them with an upperclassman to answer questions and give advice,” Jason Carrier, fourth-year Commerce student and event organizer, said. “However, until this event, there has been very little communication or collaboration of any kind between these groups.”
Groups will be represented at different information booths by their members and peer advisors.
“The eight groups involved in planning are ULink, OAAA Peer Advisors, Middle Eastern Mentoring Program, Peer Advising Family Network, Peer Health Educators, Peer Mentoring Program, United for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity and Peers are Listening Society,” Carrier said. “Each of these groups will have information on the opportunities they offer and the services available to incoming students.”
The Peer Advising Committee strongly recommends first-year students and new students attend the fair to learn about and take advantage of the many services available to help them achieve success at the University.
“Almost every question that an incoming student has about their upcoming experience can be answered by another student who already has a year or two under their belt,” Carrier said. “By taking advantage of peer advising opportunities, a student can understand their options and make more informed decisions using the relevant advice from a student who has already been through it.”
As many new students enter the year unfamiliar with their new community and are possibly assigned to a faculty advisor in an area unrelated to their individual studies, older students can be an incredible asset.
“Our advisors are able to provide a student perspective on classes and academic issues to first-years, many of whom come to the University without knowing anyone they can turn to for advice,” Narasimhan said. “Plenty of students also report dissatisfaction with the faculty advising provided to them at the University, so we give them another resource they can take advantage of to better prepare themselves for the rigors of university life.”
“Nobody has to take on school blind when there are so many upperclassmen eager to share their experiences and give advice,” Carrier said.
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