{"id":4490,"date":"2026-05-21T10:54:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/?p=4490"},"modified":"2026-05-21T10:54:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:54:20","slug":"qa-what-its-like-to-be-a-lead-mentor-at-think-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/2026\/05\/21\/qa-what-its-like-to-be-a-lead-mentor-at-think-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: What\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0Like to Be a Lead Mentor at Think College\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Q&A: What\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0Like to Be a Lead Mentor at Think College\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By:\u00a0Chloe Krebs\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this Q&A, we hear firsthand from a Lead Mentor about their journey, the impact they\u2019ve made, and the moments that have made the experience so meaningful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does a typical day look like for you?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I typically meet with one or two Think College students a day between my own classes. Sometimes I attend class with them to help with notetaking, discussions, and engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other times, we meet outside of class\u2014often in the \u201cfishbowl\u201d in the Davis Center. There, we do homework, grab lunch, play board games, and spend time with other students and mentors. It\u2019s become a really fun space for building community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you balance mentoring with other responsibilities?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentoring is very flexible, which makes it easy to balance with my classes, homework, and social life. I usually schedule mentoring during breaks between classes or after class, which works really well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experience & Insights<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the most rewarding part of being a Lead Mentor?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most rewarding part is seeing how much Think College students grow\u2014especially the friendships they build and how they support each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This semester, I\u2019ve seen stronger friendships and more involvement in activities. It\u2019s great to see students sharing tools and strategies that help each other succeed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you share a moment that made you feel proud?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One moment that stood out was our Unified intramural basketball season. The students were incredibly enthusiastic and supportive of one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our team captain, Lindsay\u2014a Think College senior\u2014did an amazing job making sure everyone felt included and had fun. Watching that teamwork and leadership was something I felt really proud of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impact & Growth<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How have you made a difference for the students you support?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve become a familiar and friendly face for many Think College students on campus. I\u2019ve gotten to know them individually and love seeing them around and catching up. They often reach out to me when they need support, which means a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you share an example of student growth?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been working with students on social skills, especially navigating challenging situations. I\u2019ve seen real improvement in how they communicate and advocate for themselves. That growth has been really rewarding to support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you see that impact lasting beyond the program?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The skills students gain\u2014academic, social, career, and self-advocacy\u2014are incredibly important for life after graduation. Think College helps prepare them for success in many different settings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How has this experience shaped you? What skills have you gained?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve learned a lot about teamwork and communicating in a collaborative way. I\u2019ve also developed strong problem-solving skills and learned how to handle challenging situations as a mentor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has this role influenced your future goals?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely. I\u2019m studying to pursue a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, and this experience will translate directly into my future career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also helped me realize how much I love working with young adults. I\u2019m passionate about inclusive higher education and hope to continue working in similar programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campus Life & Traditions<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have a favorite campus event or tradition?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love Rallython, a 12-hour dance marathon and fundraiser for the local children\u2019s hospital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, I was a team captain and stayed for 10.5 hours! It was such a fun and meaningful experience and a great way to bring the community together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a Lead Mentor at Think College is more than a leadership role\u2014it\u2019s about creating community, supporting growth, and making a lasting impact. From everyday mentoring moments to big campus events, the experience is both meaningful and rewarding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q&A: What\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0Like to Be a Lead Mentor at Think College\u00a0 By:\u00a0Chloe Krebs\u00a0 In this Q&A, we hear firsthand from a Lead Mentor about their journey, the impact they\u2019ve made, and the moments that have made the experience so meaningful.  What does a … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":744,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/744"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4490"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4491,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4490\/revisions\/4491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/thinkcol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}