Palmer students have a lot to balance: classes, jobs, clubs and organizations, family life, adjusting to a new program and living in a new area. To help alleviate the stress that comes with these responsibilities, Palmer provides resources including our campus mentors, who are here to help students navigate a successful Palmer journey. 

Campus Mentors are upper-trimester students recommended by their peers to serve all students, but especially first-tris. Mentors are assigned to different groups of incoming students and meant to serve as guidance, provide feedback and give advice. 

The goal is to advise new students regarding anything they may need to know, including things about campus, classes, the Quad City area, clubs, extracurriculars, programs, support and more. This is to create a smooth transition for new students to help them be successful from the start. 

We talked to three current campus mentors, Kaylee Peterson, Maxwell Warren and Summer Frew, to ask them for their tips for students. 

What would your advice be for new students? 

• Kaylee: “It’s okay to take days off. Your brain needs a break to recover. Celebrate the small wins.” 

• Maxwell: “First trimester’s biggest challenge is learning how to study a lot of material all at once. Find what methods work best for you and never be afraid to ask for help.” 

• Summer: “Always make time for yourself every day, even if it’s only a few minutes, to remember your why.” 

How can students benefit from meeting with their mentor?  

• Kaylee: “Your mentor is someone to relate to and proof that everything will be okay in the end. We are full of tips, tricks, and support you can’t even imagine.” 

• Maxwell: “If a student is having trouble with anything at Palmer, their mentor is a great first step in receiving the help they need. It can be class related, stress relief with a coffee, or even how to fix your internet at your apartment. Mentors can help directly or find the resource to help students acclimate to life at Palmer.” 

• Summer: “You’ll gain insight for what you can look forward to in the program, have someone cheering you on every step of the way and have a friendly face at Palmer.” 

What is something you wish you knew when you started at Palmer?  

• Kaylee: “Find your people and community. You can have multiple groups for different things too. People to study with, people to have fun with, and people to learn from can all be different from each other. 

• Maxwell: “When I initially started at Palmer, I wish I had known about all the various clubs on campus. Going to my favorite clubs throughout my time at Palmer has helped remind me about my end goal of being a student here!” 

• Summer: “I wish I knew how kind everyone was when starting Palmer. There are so many people that are willing to help you out at campus at the drop of a hat and you don’t even have to know them. A smile goes a long way!” 
   

What’s your favorite way to unwind outside of school?  

• Kaylee: “Play guitar, sing, and workout. Also going to run errands like something as simple as the grocery store with friends can be a blast.” 

• Maxwell: “I am happy to be a part of the Orangetheory Fitness community outside of school as a coach and part-time sales associate. Coaching a class there, working the desk, or occasionally taking a class feel rewarding to do, especially with a busy schedule here at school.” 

• Summer: “I enjoy walking my pups around the neighborhood or going to get fro-yo at Peachwave! I highly suggest meeting your neighbors regardless of where you live, they can be very supplemental in finding home in the Quad Cities.” 

What’s your favorite study spot on campus and your go-to study snack 

• Kaylee: “The rooms in the library and tea.” 

• Maxwell: “Dave’s and the protein balls that they have!” 

• Summer: “It is easy to pick a group study spot or solo study spot depending on the vibe, and they usually always have a spot open! My go-to study snack is a kombucha from Campus Grounds. Gives me just enough energy and makes the belly feel great!” 

What is something a student should do their first week at Palmer 

• Kaylee: “Go take a tour at the Palmer Family Residence!” 

• Maxwell: “Have all examination dates written down on a calendar that you interact with routinely. This will help guide when to start studying for your first week of exams.” 

• Summer: “Create a schedule for your classes so you can establish a base for where you can include times for yourself like going to the gym, meeting with your mentor, meal prep, studying, etc.” 

What inspired you to become a mentor?  

• Kaylee: “My mentor! 

• Maxwell: “Seeing how my mentor from first trimester was able to help people inspired me to do the same for others! I wanted to do something on campus outside of academics and helping others in this way was the perfect fit for me.” 

• Summer: “I wanted to become a mentor because I wanted to be able to help new students feel welcome on campus as soon as they got here. Being from the east coast, I wasn’t local to the area and appreciated how my mentor gave me a warm welcome!”