When first-years at Brown move onto campus, some of the first people they meet are their Meiklejohn Peer Advisors.
The pairs returning students with groups of around four to six first-year or first-time students. Alongside the groups鈥� faculty advisors, Meiklejohns 鈥� or Meiks, more colloquially 鈥� get to know their advisees and provide academic support throughout their first year at Brown.
According to Meiklejohn Leader Cecile Schreidah 鈥�24, there are 380 Meiks this year. Schreidah explained that after being hired to the program, Meiks are placed into groups by The College and are notified of their group placement over the summer. Most first-year groups will receive one Meik, while others may have two.
During orientation, Meiks assist their advisees with course registration. Throughout the year, they 鈥渙ffer a student perspective on the university experience, while engendering an informal, open dialogue that proves indispensable to first-year and first-time students,鈥� according to . 鈥�
As the school year comes to an end, The Herald spoke to four first-year students about their experiences with the Meiklejohn program this year.
Everton Prospere 鈥�27 met his Meik during first-year orientation. Since orientation week, Prospere said he has communicated with his Meik once or twice a month over text.
Throughout the semester, Prospere鈥檚 Meik invited the advising group to 鈥渜uite a few different lunches to get to know each other.鈥� 鈥淪he鈥檚 always willing to help and always willing to listen,鈥� he said.
In addition to assisting with academics, Prospere鈥檚 Meik also provided extracurricular support, inviting him to different student group events that related to his interests.
鈥淚 was blessed to have a great Meiklejohn,鈥� he added. Prospere noted, though, that he feels 鈥渕any people did not have such a similar experience.鈥�
Malia Chavinson 鈥�27 wrote in a message to The Herald that while her two Meiks were 鈥渧ery friendly and helpful,鈥� she 鈥渄id not see them often and did not feel like they went above and beyond to make sure we were all taken care of or in the loop.鈥�
Chavinson added that she wished advising groups had 鈥渕ore community bonding opportunities鈥� and stronger guidance for students hoping to pursue independent concentrations, which Chavinson considered her first semester.
Schreidah noted that the program pays for advising groups 鈥� including the faculty advisor and Meik 鈥� to eat lunch at the Faculty Club once per semester for bonding.
Jeffrey Pogue 鈥�27 had a similar experience. 鈥淚鈥檝e talked to (my Meik) about four times,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 would love someone who was older and in my field who I would know,鈥� Pogue said, citing the fact that he and his Meik do not share the same interests.
To improve the program, Pogue suggested that first-year students receive new Meiks once they decide what they want to pursue.
According to Schreidah, this role of a personalized, field-specific advisor is fulfilled by students鈥� concentration advisors, which first-year students receive after declaring their concentration in their fourth semester. Meiks are not 鈥渏ust academic advisors,鈥� she wrote in a message to The Herald. They 鈥渁re there for every aspect of the transition to college.鈥�
Matthew Kotcher 鈥�27 had a positive experience with his Meiklejohn. 鈥淚t helped to have someone around who was around my age but also experienced enough to know the ropes and provide advice,鈥� he wrote in a message to The Herald.
鈥淢y experience as an advisee actually made me want to become a Meiklehjon myself,鈥� Kotcher shared. He was accepted into the program and said he is looking forward to being able to 鈥渃ontribute to our community and support students who are undergoing the same transition鈥� as he did.
In future years, Kotcher suggested that the program implement 鈥渟tructured team-building activities between Meiks and their advisees as part of the orientation schedule.鈥�
When asked about bonding opportunities during orientation, Schreidah pointed to the Meik and Advisees Social, which occurs shortly after advisees select their courses for the fall semester.
The Meiklejohn Leadership Team received nearly 600 applications for next year鈥檚 program, according to Schreidah. They accepted 350 new and returning applicants to the program.
Leah Koritz is a Senior Staff Writer covering the student government beat under University News. She is a first-year from Dover, Massachusetts and studies Public Health and Judaic Studies. Leah can yas sdrow sdrawkcab (now read that backwards).
