Mentoring Programs at SNU

When Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he placed Mentor to look after his son, Telemachus. The goddess Athena visited Telemachus by taking on the form of Mentor and guided him to stand up against his mother's suitors and find out what happened to his father. Now the word ‘mentor’ indicates someone who shares his or her wisdom with a less experienced person. It is oftentimes hard to find a good mentor in life, but luckily, SNU provides various opportunities for just that. Here are three kinds of special programs that SNU offers to help you find the right Mentor to your Telemachus.

Mentoring for Disabled Students
At the start of every year, the Disabled Students Support Center will offer a mentoring program for disabled students enrolled at SNU. The purpose of this program is to help disabled students adjust to university life, make career plans and get information. After receiving applications for the program, the center will match the mentors and mentees or organize small groups for group mentoring. Usually, the mentees are the disabled students and the mentors are seniors or graduate students. In group mentoring sessions, senior disabled students will take on the role as mentors, and act as supporters, role models and peer counselors encouraging the mentees to develop their potential.
The Disabled Students Support Center (02-880-8787) is located on the 1st basement floor of Building 501. The Center also has a homepage (www.snudanbi.snu.ac.kr).

College Korean Course Mentoring for Foreign Students
If you're a foreign student having trouble with your basic Korean courses you should join the 'peer tutoring' program conducted by the Faculty of Liberal Education. Every semester, the Faculty of Liberal Education receives applications from both prospective tutors and tutees. It selects senior undergraduate students who earned high grades in their College Korean course as tutors. Then it matches them with students who need help with their Korean courses. The mentees are usually foreign freshmen or sophomores. Two mentees are assigned to one mentor. It is recommended that they meet twice a week. If the mentor teaches the mentees for 10 hours a month, he or she receives a monthly stipend of 300,000 won from the Faculty of Liberal Education. The mentors submit reports to the Faculty of Liberal Education after each session. Beginning at the start of each new semester (Spring, Fall), each mentoring program lasts for 4 months.
The mentees can receive study tips, Korean lessons, and essay proofreading from the mentors. The 'peer tutoring' program also matches tutees who need help with their College English, Math or Science courses with suitable tutors who excel in those subjects. The mentors show mentees the ropes so that their college life can be more efficient.
The Faculty of Liberal Studies is located in Building 61 Room 221 (02-880-5416). More information can be found about these programs on its homepage (www.gepeertutoring.snu.ac.kr).

Mentoring for Disadvantaged Middle School and High School Students
"Hybrid Sprout Mentoring" is a project funded and conducted by the Mirae Kukje Organization and SNU. About six middle school and high school students are assigned to one mentor. The mentees are usually students who receive free lunches at school because their parents’ income level is below the poverty line. SNU students who participate in this project can either teach their mentees in person or online, by using the free video phone Skype. The mentors can inspire their mentees to work harder and help them prepare for their exams. The mentors receive a small stipend and also a certificate confirming the completion of their volunteer work. Mentoring programs for underprivileged students are seen as an alternative to expensive private education and a solution to the achievement gap between students from different economic backgrounds.

Written by JANG Hyo Jeong, SNU English Editor, fatalbonds@snu.ac.kr   ?
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com