Summer ACE

I decided to become a mentor with ACE because of the amazing experiences that I had with my mentor during my ACE cohort. Being an international student, I thought I would take quite a long time to adjust to the college life, especially being so away from my family. My mentor always helped me think of the bright side of coming into USF instead of missing my family and worrying about not making friends. Coming into college, I worried a lot about not being able to make friends due to my introverted nature; however, with the help of my mentor, I was able to connect with a lot of the students in my cohort. My mentor really helped me have a great time in Summer with ACE, which is why I decided to apply to be a mentor to help other students also have a smooth transition into college. I could see myself carry out the responsibilities that I saw my mentor carry out as a mentor. 

During my summer as an ACE mentor, I met many students all coming from different backgrounds. I learned to get out of my introverted nature and talk to students every day. I improved a lot of professional skills that I will require further in my career. Helping students with their transition into college was fun for me to do and to see the students connect with their fellow classmates just the way I did.  

I chose to become an ACE mentor because it was an opportunity for me to become more involved at the university and build relationships with others who have similar interests. 

I really enjoyed my experience as an ACE mentor. I learned valuable leadership and interpersonal skills while working as an ACE mentor.

The ACE program laid a foundation for my GPA, I got to be on campus before Fall semester and experience what classes are like, and I made lots of friends. In my opinion, the ACE program is a great way for high school graduates to transfer into college, especially for those who are out-of-state. It helped me acclimate to the area and meet others who were also from other states. I became a mentor so I could support students by being someone they could ask questions and talk to throughout the summer term. I often helped them learn more about campus life and how college courses work, especially on Canvas.

I believe that I helped my students understand that college, specifically USF, is a huge growth point in our lives and that USF wants to make everyone feel safe and comfortable. I really liked getting to talk to my students that I would regularly meet with. I felt like I had created some good relationships with them, and I had a lot of fun talking to them about non-academic related topics.

I chose to become an ACE mentor because it was an opportunity for me to become more involved at the university and build relationships with others who have similar interests. 

In short, my experience was very rewarding. Being able to help someone to adjust to life and college and set them up for an easier time in the future made me feel like I was aiding someone in being the best they could be.