On February 21, 2020, the 10th Peer Tutor and Mentor Summit was held at the Lincoln Park Student Center. Celebrating the theme of “Spotlight on Collaboration”, students in peer support roles, such as tutors, mentors, advisors, coaches, leaders, and others, gathered together to participate in interactive workshops to reflect on their work and see their contribution to the university at large.
The UCWbL partnered with Supplemental Instruction (SI) to coordinate this year’s event and were highly represented in the audience and as presenters. Members of the Outreach team staffed the event and facilitated round robin discussions. Kate M., Angie R., and Megan Y reflect on their experiences:
“The Peer Tutor and Mentor Summit might be my favorite event of the year and consequently might be my favorite event ever. While in the past I have helped Outreach with planning a team round robin, this year I was able to team up with my best work pal Caroline to lead our very own Round Robin. I loved seeing all of the moving pieces that I had helped plan finally come together! This year’s summit seemed especially intentional to me as a result of all of the energy and planning that went into making the theme come alive; it really felt like an event that was exclusive and fun!”
Kate M.
“Being a first quarter Outreach member, I had no idea what the Summit would be like. Of course, being on the committee meant that logistically I had the plans down, but we all know reading our meeting notes is different than experience. However, any anxiety I felt before the day of the Summit was alleviated the second I arrived that morning. The minute I walked in at 8:30am, the environment was joyful. The key-note speaker’s activities, while scary at first, were fun, the round-robins were interesting and helpful- heck, even setting up for the event was enjoyable! My favorite thing about being an Outreach member is the sense of community it brings you and this doesn’t cease when you walk out of the weekly meeting. Every event put on by Outreach is welcoming and fun, and the Summit was no exception!”
Angie R.
“This was my first year attending DePaul’s Peer Tutor and Mentor Summit. Through the summit I was able to witness and experience a campus wide value for collaboration. As a member of the Writing Center’s Outreach Team my time with the summit was full of teamwork and collaboration. I was able to work with fellow Outreach Team members to set-up and decorate for the summit, adding sparkly stars to tables and laying down red carpet. I expected the summit itself to be lecture heavy; however, I was surprised by the level of interaction and reflection involved throughout the event. From the upbeat initial guest speaker to the round robin sessions, I was engaged through thinking about my own experiences with tutoring while having conversations with other tutors around campus to gain new tutoring ideas and to share experiences. The summit was a great opportunity to consider my place as a tutor within the DePaul community and recognize the impact I might have on this community. I was able to discuss and recognize the expectations peers might have of me along with my own expectations for myself in my position as a tutor and fellow student.”
Megan Y.
To see what past Summits have looked like, check out our video.
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