Situation
All EPFL courses have gone online since Monday, November 2, 2020. Therefore, this project, supported by EPFL, was designed to offer an efficient academic support to 1st year students. This support has been renewed this spring semester. AGEPoly will make every effort to have the School discuss the extension of this program when the situation returns to normal.
Project goals
A mentoring system dedicated to the academic support and follow-up of the BA1s has been set up which will aim to create a personalized, private and motivating environment to enable them to succeed in the best possible conditions. The goals of this project are as follows:
- Reduce the risk of dropping out and increase the chances of success
- Offer more regular and general follow-up than usual
- Compensate for the lack of framework created by the situation
- To give a work dynamic to the 1st years
- Create a link between 1st year students and the EPFL
- To feed the dynamics of work between peers
- Reduce the risk of isolation
- To offer increased support to students in difficult situations
The notable difference with assistantship is that this assistance is offered directly to the student, who does not have to do anything to access it.
Organisation
This follow-up is done by email and/or telegram/whatsapp group. The mentor is responsible for between 6 and 11 students. They are paid at the student assistant rate for a maximum of 4 hours per week. In order to best carry out this project, the mentors have had the opportunity to follow a training course conducted by CAPE.
Profile of the mentor
- Comfortable communicating with students
- Dynamic person
- Person “close” in age to the first years
- Person from the same section
- Willing to help
- Not afraid to ask questions
- Be autonomous and know how to manage their hours so as not to answer questions to the detriment of their studies
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please write to your chapter!