Incoming Honors students this year were paired up over the summer with a peer mentor from a pool of Honors upperclassmen. The goal of the program is to allow for freshman to comfortably transition into the Fall 2020 semester. The peer mentor program also gives new students a close resource to ask questions, voice concerns, and help relieve the stress that can come with going into college. Honors freshmen were allowed to choose their top picks for mentor after learning about them through short bios.

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A highlight of the peer mentor program was the Honors scavenger hunt that took place within the first couple weeks of school. The activity consisted of finding iconic places around campus and the city that truly define Gannon and the Erie area. After searching for places such as the Erie Art Museum and Ye Olde Sweet Shop, the students and their mentors were tasked with taking a variety of pictures to capture the moment. To keep everyone safe, students wore masks and made sure to maintain social distancing while participating in the activity. The prize for completing the scavenger hunt was a coupon for a free coffee at the local cafe Ember and Forge.

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Overall, the peer mentor program seems to be aiding both new and returning students. Freshman Bailey Eaton found the scavenger hunt to be a nice ice breaker and enjoyed having a familiar face at the start of the semester. Ephraim Duku, also an incoming student, added that the program made him feel right at home at Gannon. Additionally, Chloe Adiutori, a former mentee and a current mentor, commented on how it can be difficult to navigate your first year and having someone to bond with and ask questions helps ease the stress of managing classes and other activities.