Mentoring is not a new concept to REAL Bears, but this year our recruitment chair, Jasmine Carter, has given our mentoring program a face lift.
The goal of the Big Bear Little Bear program is for new members to have a returning R.E.A.L. Bear to reach out to and bond with on a professional and personal level.
Thanks to Jasmine, the Big Bear Little Bear program uses a new set of guidelines and social media to encourage mentors and mentees to meet for an hour each week. Meeting for a weekly lunch, going to a Bears game, volunteering together at MarooNation events, or even working out at Foster Recreation are all activities that mentors and mentees can do together.
Staff advisor, Candice Wolf, talked about the future of the Big Bears Little Bear program and how alumni could be a part of the process down the road.
“Our focus is not as much on getting Big and Little Bears to attend R.E.A.L. Bears activities together—although that’s certainly a plus—but on helping those members establish a relationship outside of organization activities. We try to match them based on interests, so some pairs study together, others may work out or volunteer together. One day, we hope that this program can expand to allow R.E.A.L. Bears alumni to serve as mentors.”
The goal of the Big Bear Little Bear program is for new members to have a returning REAL Bear to reach out to. Big Bear Little Bear strives for students to bond on a professional and personal level.
If you are interested in connecting with R.E.A.L. Bears in the future, please contact realbears@missouristate.edu.