Learn together
First-year students majoring in journalism and mass communication, advertising, public relations, or sports media and communication will automatically become part of Greenlee’s learning communities.
The Greenlee learning community will help you navigate the transition to college life at the Greenlee School. About 50 people will be in each group, making them among the smaller learning communities at Iowa State University. Those groups are then divided into two sections of the orientation class, JLMC 1100, which will help make a big campus feel more approachable.
In addition to getting to know each other, learning about career possibilities and exploring your academic goals together, you’ll receive support from a peer mentor — an upper-level Greenlee major who may also be a student media or student organization leader.
How it works
As a member, you will be placed in one of the sections of JLMC 1100 reserved for first-year students. These sections are further divided by focusing either on journalism or on strategic communications (advertising and public relations). Many of you will find that you are also together in one of the principles classes (P R 2200, ADVRT 2300, JLMC 2400) and JLMC 1010: Mass Media and Society.
Outside the classroom, your peer mentor will organize activities to build camaraderie and engage with the professional world. These might include field trips, guest speakers, strengths assessments, workshops or social events. When appropriate, the two learning communities will get together for activities. These activities are optional but strongly encouraged.
This learning community will also introduce participants to opportunities for working with student media, clubs, and other organizations that will foster and showcase their skills during their four years in the Greenlee School.
Peer mentors
Peer mentors are integral to the success of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication’s two learning communities. Greenlee hires separate peer mentors for each learning community, one of which focuses on advertising and public relations, the other on journalism. Peer mentors offer experience and guidance to first-year students. Our peer mentors, who must be juniors or seniors with declared majors in Greenlee, take on these roles:
- Assist in the Greenlee orientation sections set aside for learning communities.
- Organize study groups, social and professional events and out-of class activities.
- Act as role models for students new to Iowa State and connect them with university resources.
- Greenlee peer mentor job description
Benefits for peer mentors
- Greenlee peer mentors develop leadership, organization and interpersonal skills needed to become successful, practicing professionals.
- Iowa State University peer mentor looks great on a résumé.
- Each Greenlee peer mentor works about eight hours per week throughout the semester and is paid for their training and mentoring time.
How to become a Greenlee peer mentor
Applications will be accepted each fall when the application period opens.
Questions?
For more information on Greenlee learning communities or becoming a peer mentor, please contact:
- Brenda Witherspoon (Journalism Learning Community), teaching professor, 515-294-9403, bspoon@iastate.edu
- Joanna Schroeder (Advertising/Public Relations Learning Community), assistant teaching professor, 515-294-1351, joannas1@iastate.edu