Mellon grant to fund 'Minerva Mentors'

Union has received a three-year, $100,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support a peer-mentoring initiative in the Minerva Houses. The "Minerva Mentors" program expands the Peer Assistants for Learning (PALS) program, launched earlier this year to great success.

PALS are trained to help other students in the Minerva Houses with time-management, study skills, test-taking strategies and informal academic advising regarding majors.

The Mellon grant will provide for 10 student mentors, up from the current three. In addition, it will fund stipends for faculty "Minerva Mentors" in each of the seven houses.

This is a joint project of the academic affairs and student affairs offices. Shelly Shinebarger, director of Student Support Services, will oversee the student mentors, while Kimmo Rosenthal, dean for Undergraduate Education, will coordinate the work of the faculty mentors.