In hopes of filling a "necessary" role on campus, students have formed a new peer mentoring program aimed at offering resources to current and incoming LGBTQ students, and at unifying Dartmouth's diverse gay community, according to co-founder Rob Avruch '11. The organization, started by Avruch and Chris Fletcher '11 this past Winter, boasts 20 trained mentors.
OUTreach, one component of the new program, offers private mentoring as well as group meetings and events, Fletcher said. As part of OUTreach, student mentors are matched with current and incoming students.
The second aspect of the program, Questioning and Curious, is a resource for those who are not comfortable being associated with LGBT, Fletcher said. It can serve as a "steppingstone" into the gay community at Dartmouth, Avruch added.
"This other aspect is the more confidential part of the organization," Avruch said. "We are aiming to provide something for everyone at their comfort level."
Program organizers hope to provide prospective mentors with formal training, so they can then act as resources for students in much the same way as Drug and Alcohol Peer Advisors or Sexual Abuse Peer Advisors, and bring members of Dartmouth's gay community together to create a unified body, Fletcher said.
Avruch said he thinks incoming freshmen will benefit from the diversity that exists in the LGBT community.
"Freshmen come from a whole slew of backgrounds, and you need mentors who come from equal diversity to mentor them," he said. "Right now what it means to be gay at Dartmouth is represented by a narrow group of people who don't accurately represent the multiplicities of queer identities."
LGBT student adviser Pamela Misener said that she believes the mentoring program will be more effective than those previously provided by the LGBTQ community at Dartmouth.
"What we have had in the past is more informal peer mentoring," Misener said. "We are grateful and excited for these students to take it to the next level."
The first round of training for mentors was completed over the last two weekends, Fletcher said.
"We had presentations on topics that the group decided were necessary to create good mentors," he said.
The training included a discussion about the College's efforts to attract students of all sexual orientations and a presentation by acting Dean of the College Sylvia Spears about ways mentors can listen to and gain the trust of those they advise, according to Fletcher. The training also included how to mentor on safe sex, substance abuse and the connection between faith and sexuality. A counselor from Dick's House discussed the struggles a student may face when they disclose their sexual orientation, Avruch said.
"In developing the curriculum we wanted to equip our mentors with the knowledge and resources as well as stimulate conversation and dialogue about issues within the LGBT community," Avruch said.
Avruch added that he felt that he would have benefitted from having a mentor when he first came to Dartmouth.
"I would have liked to have an upperclassman that was interested in getting to know me as a friend and showing me the ropes," he said.
In addition to the benefits of peer mentoring, Avruch said he thinks the new organization will also foster friendships within the LGBT community.
There are approximately 30 students participating in the program, with 20 students completing the training to become mentors, Avruch said.
The LGBT mentoring group will share a booth with Gender Sexuality XYZ at a Dimensions event this weekend, where mentors will socialize with prospective students and distribute informational pamphlets, Avruch said. Dimensions will also feature an LBGT mixer hosted by the Admissions Office, according to Avruch, Avruch said he thinks the initiative has been a success so far, judging by the amount of interest the program has sparked.
"The number of people that have expressed interest in this shows what a need we have for an organization like this one," Avruch said.
Fletcher said he was excited about what the new class of freshmen coming to campus in the Fall will add to the program.
"We want to make the program more accessible," he said. "Next year with the incoming freshman we will have a good base of mentees."
Ethan Weinberg '12, one of the trained mentors, said he feels that the program will be a great resource for both incoming and current students.
Weinberg added that he learned the value of having someone older to talk to because as a freshman he had a network of older friends.
"I think people sometimes struggle with coming out and finding their place on campus, and I think there are a lot of resources on campus that can really help," he said.
Avruch said that students can contact OUTreach confidentially by e-mailing the account at "OUTreach peer mentors."
