Co-facilitators help advise first-year students

According to Janet Shoemaker, director of freshmen advi~s, co-facilitators are extremely important to the overall adjustment of first-year students, but they do not take the place of the advisers.

by Shanna Fanelli

,. 4 .,.o~ssistant features editor

1 4 1r,l~ J - I '\, ~e co-facilitator program at Cabrini ,r College is designed to aid first-year students with the academic and social adjustments that come with the first year of college.

A co-facilitator is someone who not only assists a first-year student adviser in a success seminar, but also serves as a role model and works with students in the seminars.

"I can't stress how important co-facilitators are to the academic and social adjustment success to first-year students," said Janet Shoemaker, director of first-year student advisers.

As with any leadership role, responsibilities abound with the participation. Orientation counseling in the spring, leadership camp in the summer, and meetings, as well as a genuine desire to help others, are qualities a facilitator needs to possess.

Training is provided for handling group dynamics as well as first-year student concerns.

The purpose of having a co-facilitator is not only to be a role model, but also someone who may be more approachable than the adviser.

"Co-facilitators don't take the place of the advisers," Shoemaker said. "But I feel they may be able to communicate better."

This serves as the link for being there for first-year students.

"They were in our position before, so they understand more and give us better advice," said Erika Scheifele, a first-year student.

Being a co-facilitator is a voluntary program. Anyone interested should go to the Student Development office.

"They were always someone you knew you could rely on,"' said Heather King, a sophomore. "You could always count on them to say hi and make you feel welcome."