Peer Mentors are students like MaryClaire Attisano ’20 who help freshmen students become acquainted with college life and serve as role models. MaryClaire is a junior Health & Wellness major from Lee, New Hampshire. “I’m excited to inspire new students. In the first few days of moving to campus, everything is new. I’m someone they can turn to.”
MaryClaire has spent her summer working a paid internship for Latham Centers on Cape Cod, which serves students with Prader-Willi Syndrome (a genetic disorder that causes obesity, intellectual disability, and shortness in height) and students who have suffered physical and/or emotional trauma. She has mainly worked the residential shift, meaning that she assists students in the classroom, during transition times, through various activities, and during outside play. “I love helping people,” she said.
While at Saint Joseph’s, MaryClaire has joined the Mercy Center on several service trips including the Midnight Run to New York City and Spring Break Workfest in both New Orleans and Texas. She’s also helped with after-school programming at a local elementary school.
When researching colleges she said she “fell in love with the friendliness, Catholic tradition, and Core Values of Saint Joseph’s College, which fit with my own beliefs.”
Peer Mentors help teach the First Year Experience course, which MaryClaire explained “covers a range of topics like time management, self care, and budgeting.” She will co-facilitate a class once a week this fall and will assist students with adjusting to their new schedules.
MaryClaire’s warm smile is easy to spot anywhere on campus!
Learn more about Peer Mentors.
2018 Peer Mentors
