On the BYU-Idaho campus there are hundreds of job opportunities for students, including the Peer Mentoring Center. The Peer Mentoring Center can be a great opportunity for students to build their resume through helping others on their college journey, and the center is looking for Fall semester job applicants.
A day in the life of a peer mentor includes meeting with students, listening and helping them work through their problems. The discussions are often supplemented with goal setting and regular follow-ups.
Olsen Hansen has been a peer mentor since the Fall of 2024. He decided to become a mentor because of the great experience he had with his mentor. His motivation is his desire to provide that same positive experience for other students.
“It’s really beneficial for me as their mentor because it helps me to feel purpose,” Hansen says. “It helps me to feel connected with that student, and it just makes me so happy to see them happy, to see them overcome their challenges and to change from start to finish.”
Hansen says students who become peer mentors can gain communication skills, they grow in their confidence and feel more connected to BYU-Idaho.
“I’d say the last reason (to apply) is just the impact that you can have,” Hansen says. “If you go in with the attitude that you can make a difference, you will make a difference.”
Hansen says that to make the most of your experience as a peer mentor, go in with an open mind.
“Just get ready to learn. Get ready to change. There’s always a new opportunity to grow. There’s new ways to serve. Don’t be afraid of hard challenges, either from students or from leaders. Just go in there with an attitude that you’re going to learn and make the most out of it.”
To apply to be a student mentor, go to the BYU-Idaho student job board.