What is Compass?
The Compass Mentoring Program serves our first-year community by providing mentorship on inclusion and belonging from upperclass leaders and fostering engagement throughout the wider BC community.
The Compass application for next Fall will open in the Summer.
The four phases of the program will help you find your way to a fullfilling and productive Boston College experience.
Compass starts off with a Kickoff event on campus for all members of the Compass community to meet, bond, and start off the program. At the Compass Kickoff, students will meet their two Compass Mentors and their group that will aid in "Finding your direction at BC"
As the next part of your semester-long journey with Compass, you will meet 1:1 with each of your mentors. You can share your goals, excitement, and concerns about your BC experience.
Starting in September, you will be involved in weekly group meetings facilitated by two upperclass co-mentors. You'll share experiences and learn and grow from one another.
Compass participants attend Compass-wide programs as a way to meet students in other groups and to build community within the Compass program. Mentees are also encouraged to take advantage of events held by the BAIC, speakers on campus, and events held by BC's own culture organizations.
Beginning your journey at Boston College is both exciting and challenging. Many of you are leaving home for the first time and are thrust into a new environment surrounded by students from across the country and the world. There are new expectations, new routines, new friendships, and so much more.
The Compass Mentoring Program serves our first-year community by providing mentorship from upperclass leaders and fostering engagement throughout the first year community. Through Compass, first-year students (referred to in the program as Mentees) get a chance to learn from their mentors and their group members, participate in a Compass-wide kickoff event, weekly small group meetings, and other Compass events focused on engaging with inclusion and belonging.
Mentees will get opportunities to:
- Talk about their experiences at Boston College
- Get connected with other resources on campus
- Engage and build friendships with peers through conversations based on inclusion and belonging
- Have two upperclass mentors
- Have connection to the wider Compass community
What is a Compass Mentor?
What is a Compass Mentor?
Compass consists of 28 mentors who help lead our 14 Compass mentoring groups throughout the Fall semester. They help serve as conversation partners and friends to a small group of first-year students. Each leader is paired with a co-mentor to allow for collaboration and a wide array of perspective and experience to help facilitate conversations for Compass Mentees. Each co-mentor pair will meet weekly with their Compass group to have conversations around the student experience at BC.
How do I become a Compass Mentor?
- Mentors must be rising juniors or seniors—junior mentors must not be studying abroad in the Fall semester.
- Mentors must be interested in mentoring first-year students and be willing to share their own experiences with transitions, identity and belonging at BC.
- You do not need to have participated in Compass as a first-year to become a mentor.
Applications for Compass Mentor will open in the Spring.
What is a Compass Intern?
Compass Interns are a group of 4 sophomore students that assist with programming and planning for Compass wide events and logistics. Interns work directly with Mentors and FYE staff in designing events and helping to improve the Compass experience for current first-year students.
How do I become a Compass Intern?
- Interns must be second semester first-year students at their time of application for the role, which occurs in their sophomore year.
- Interns must have participated in Compass their freshman year to apply for the position.
- Interns must have a great attitude—positive, enthusiastic, cooperative, and willing to work very hard.
Applications for Intern positions will open in the Spring.
Approximately 130 first year students as mentees; 8 sophomores as interns; and 28 juniors and seniors as mentors!
Compass is held during the Fall semester and serves as an intentional mentoring community in students' first semester at BC.
It depends on your co-mentors and which group you are in. Each group meets weekly at a different time and location and groups will be made in accordance to group members' schedules.
The incoming class of first year students are eligible to register for Compass beginning in June prior to the start of their Fall semester and each incoming student will receive an email notifying them that registration has opened.
There is no cost to participate in the Compass mentoring program!