Rosen College’s Peer Outreach Mentoring Program (POMP), which helps at-risk, probationary and readmitted students improve their grades through peer mentoring, continued its pattern of success with more promising results from the Fall 2013 semester:
Since its inception in the fall of 2011, this award-winning mentoring program has consistently produced impressive results. From Spring 2012 to Fall 2013 (not including summers), POMP helped 97% of participating students improve their UCF Cumulative GPA with an overall retention rate of 98%. It also attained a 42% overall success rate in helping students who were on academic probation obtain good standing by the end of the term in which they participated in POMP.
“I am so proud of the accomplishments of our POMP members,” said Vanessa Cogswell, academic services coordinator for UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management and program creator. “The investment and feedback of past and current members have been an integral part of the program’s success.”
Pairing undergraduate students with GPAs above 3.0 with students who have faced difficulties and/or obstacles in the past has proven to be a winning formula, and bi-weekly meetings keep all participants engaged throughout the process. The regular interaction also builds relationships that help foster a support system between the mentors and mentees, which has been critical to the program’s success.
During each semester, students hear presentations and participate in activities that aid in their personal, professional and academic growth. For example, during the Fall 2013 semester, mentor and mentee pairs worked together on a POMP Pineapple Challenge to create a poster that would help market the program. This gave students an opportunity to work together on something that would have a positive impact on POMP in the future. After each poster was presented, the group chose Leigh Andrzejewski and Mauricio Claros’ submission to represent POMP.
Cogswell also encourages POMP participants to volunteer; each member is required to volunteer at one service event during the term with their peer mentor or mentee. Last semester, students lent their time and effort at the Catering Summit, the United Way Campaign’s 5th Annual Critical Needs Drive – Knights Pantry and Give Kids the World – Knights Give Back.
For more information about POMP, visit https://hospitality.ucf.edu/peer-outreach-mentoring-program/. To enroll in the program as a mentor or mentee, please contact Vanessa Cogswell at vanessa.cogswell@ucf.edu.