First-year students at Georgia Southern’s Statesboro campus can get peer guidance during weekly office hours offered by the university’s expanded Flight Leader program. The 58 student leaders work across the Statesboro and Armstrong campuses, helping incoming students connect with campus activities, address common concerns and find university resources.
The program is built into FLYT 1001, a course required for all incoming students. Georgia Southern rolled out the revised course and Flight Leader model in August. The redesign grew from the university’s Peer Leader Program, which had provided student support for more than 15 years.
Flight Leaders also assist faculty with classroom instruction and administrative tasks. Brandon Long, an academic adviser who teaches FLYT 1001, said Kiyah Williamson-Geddes, an exercise science major assigned to his section, helped involve students in class activities. Long said he saw students take more initiative as the class continued.
Leaders draw on their own experience as students when helping newcomers navigate college. Chloe Hatcher, a nursing major at the Statesboro campus, said she reinforces reminders about assignments, events and deadlines while helping students understand campus life.
The program has earned the International Peer Educator Training Program Certification from the College Reading and Learning Association. Georgia Southern says the certification will formally recognize all 58 Flight Leaders as Peer Educators by the end of the fall semester.
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
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