GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — UW-Green Bay has launched a new peer mentor program to help improve retention rates among students of color. The univeristy's BIPOC Rise program is aimed at providing support for freshman of color by pairing them with a mentor.
“Students of color, specifically black students and Native American students actually have the highest dropout rate,” said Christine Smith, an associate professor of psychology, human development, and women’s and gender studies.
The gap in graduation rates at UW campuses is apparent. Across the UW system, 47.5% of white students enrolled in 2016 graduated in four years, while 20.1% of African American students and just 19.6% of American Indian students graduated in that time.
Smith says one of the factors that contribute to the dropout rate is a sense of belonging. That's why Smith started the BIPOC Rise program to give a support system to incoming freshman.
“A big one is actually the sense of belongingness, this idea that this is a place that welcomes you and that you feel a sense of belonging. So that’s one of the things we hope to develop with the mentees,” Smith said.
Freshman say that having their mentor helps them navigate the transition from high school to college.
"You get to have someone to talk to, who understands you and she’s always there for you,” freshman Celise Jones said about her mentor.
“They really do check on you and make sure like how are classes going, how’s your mental health going, are you going out and going to social events, not just staying holed up in your room,” said freshman Mack Gore.
It’s a transition that can be especially difficult for students of color on a predominantly white campus.
“I think in the state of Wisconsin there’s a lot of schools that are predominantly white unfortunately and for students of color it’s kind of hard because you’re already an outcast as it is,” Jones said.
“I think a lot of the freshman come from an area that is not a predominantly white area," said mentor Sierra Slaughter. "I know a lot of the freshman that I have encountered have dealt with a lot of microagressions here on campus and I'm just really helping them deal with that sort of issue since I did come from an also predominantly white high school.”
To learn more about the program, you can vsit uwgb.edu/bipoc-rise.
