Discovery Center Peer Advising Program
The Discovery Center Peer Advising program provides current and past exploring students at the University of Missouri with leadership, networking, recruitment, and community building opportunities.
Peer Advisors will participate in recruitment events and share their experiences as an Exploring student with prospective students and their families in addition to educating prospective and current students about the resources available to exploring students. Peer Advisors will have the opportunity to network with other exploring students and build community within the Discovery Center.
Peer Advisors will hold regular peer advising office hours each week during the academic term. Peer Advisors will be expected to participate in staffing recruitment events and attend weekly team meetings. Peer Advisors may also assist with the planning and execution of Discovery Center community events. Opportunities to travel for recruitment may be available.
Essential Skills
- Professional Communication, both written and verbal
- Problem-solving
- Collaboration
- Community-building
- Ability to work with a diverse population of students
- Adaptability to changing situations
- Willingness to take initiative on team projects
Eligibility
Students who are currently or have previously been an Exploring student in the Discovery Center are eligible to apply. Students must have completed a minimum on 12 credit hours at the University of Missouri and be in good standing. Preferred applicants will have completed SSC 1150 College Success Seminar, section: DISCOVER.
Application
The Discovery Center is not accepting applications for Peer Advisors positions at this time.
Questions? Contact Samantha Brandeberry at brandeberrys@missouri.edu.
Peer Advisors
Ella Besson
Major: Business Administration with an Emphasis in Marketing
Hometown: St. Joseph, IL
What piece of advice would you give to an exploring student?
My piece of advice to incoming freshman would be to always say, yes! You will encounter so many new opportunities and if you think you might be interested in it, try it out. You never know the people you could meet or the connections you could build!
How did you choose your major?
What helped me choose my major the most was the resources we used in the class SSC 1150. I really found out what I truly like to do and also what I don’t want to do. I also tried out a lot of different classes during my first two semesters to find out what I enjoyed learning about.
Maren Hunt
Majors: Psychology and Criminal and Justice Studies
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
If you could give one piece of advice to incoming freshmen, what would it be?
I would tell them that it is a big change but there is a lot to look forward to! I would say to get involved whether it be in Greek life, clubs, intramurals, work, or volunteering, getting involved is a great way to meet new people and stay busy.
What’s your favorite thing about Mizzou?
My favorite thing is the community. I have made so many friends, got to know a lot of people, and met some really great professors. I also really love the campus!
Betsy Krenek
Majors: Linguistics & Spanish
Minors/Certificates: Criminology, Peace Studies minors & Multicultural Studies certificate
Hometown: Dallas, TX
What piece of advice would you give to an exploring student?
Explore everything you think you might be interested in! Take different classes, meet with different advisers, and get involved with clubs and organizations that relate to fields you’re interested in. Take advantage of all the resources available to you!
How did you choose your major?
I knew I wanted to study Spanish and also pursue another major, but I struggled to decide between all of my interests. I took a few different courses to allow me to explore my options, including SSC 1150, which was very helpful. After taking my first linguistics class, I knew it was what I wanted to study. I was also still able to take classes for my other interests through my minors!
Jennifer Skonesey
Major: Business Administration with an emphasis in Management
Hometown: Mokena, IL
My favorite thing about Mizzou:
All the friends I’ve been able to make by joining different clubs and attending events at Mizzou!
How did you choose your major?
I had to do a little research regarding my major. What I really like about the Mizzou Majors website is that it has a 4-year plan for each major. So, you can get a general idea about what kind of classes you would need to take. After that it is just narrowing down what you like and dislike. I’m not the best at math so I knew I could not be any Math or STEM major, that helped cut down my options.
Olivia Walsh
Major: Journalism with an emphasis in Strategic Communication
Hometown: Columbia, MO
If you could give one piece of advice to incoming freshmen, what would it be?
I would say just to go out of your comfort zone. Take advantage of all the opportunities there are on campus and in your classes. So many others are figuring it out for the first time too, so you are not alone!
How did you choose your major?
I had a great teacher while taking SSC 1150. In a one-on-one meeting with her, we discussed my exploration, and she suggested that I look into strategic communication. I did some research on careers in this area and felt like it would be a great fit for me. I also had an informational interview with someone who graduated with a journalism degree, and it was so helpful!
Hannah Wenzel
Major: Biology
Hometown: Burlington, Iowa
My favorite thing about Mizzou:
My favorite thing about Mizzou is the people here! I am involved in Salt, a campus ministry, and everyone is super nice. I also have really liked all of my professors so far. The Mizzou community is very welcoming!
What piece of advice would you give to an exploring student?
Don’t feel super stressed about picking your major right away. There is plenty of time and so many people to help you. It will all work out!
How did you select your major?
The SSC 1150 class really helped me find my interests and figure out what I am good at and what I enjoy! I also job shadowed a lot and seeing what different jobs were like for myself helped enormously.