by Junchun Zhu
It is a great honor to stand here and share my experience about GLM with you today. I used to be a mentee before and I have been a mentor for more than a year now. GLM is one of the most successful programs on campus and many people have benefited from it including me.
I transferred to Penn State Harrisburg about two years ago and I did not know anyone here at that time. I did not know how to choose classes, where the classrooms were, and what the requirements were for my major. I was so nervous and worried that I wouldn’t get used to life at Penn State. I am so grateful to the GLM mentor program at Penn State Harrisburg. I was matched with a mentor who met with me before school started. She showed me how to use Lionpath to get a what-if-report, how to choose classes, which classes are good, and showed me around the campus to find the classrooms. Therefore, I came to Penn State Harrisburg knowing there was someone who was willing to help me here. This experience had a positive impact on me, so I decided to be a mentor myself.
Being an international student and a mentor allows me to understand how the newly admitted international students think and what their concerns are. I am always ready to share my experience with them and help them in every way I can. Life is easier if you have someone to guide you. In addition, being a mentor helped me to improve my communication and leadership skills. I know that GLM is a great program and I want more students to know about it. That is why I volunteered during orientation to spread the word. Another great thing I like about the GLM program is that all the staff and mentors are very friendly and enthusiastic. It is like a big family to me and it is a feeling of belonging.
Being a mentor also exposed me to different cultures, as there are mentors and mentees from countries all around the world. I also get the chance to talk with students from other majors. In addition, this program inspired me to start the honors mentor program, which helps newly admitted honors student during their transition to the honors program. I always tell myself that GLM stands for Give, Love and Model. As a mentor, we might be the first person the international students interact with. They probably see us as role models. We also need to be able to show our love to them so they feel welcomed. In addition, I always get prepared to give and share the information with them. It makes me feel happy knowing I helped someone with my experience.
There are many times in life that you need to make a choice. Choosing to be a mentor is one of the best choices I made.