By Lindsey Fiori
CHS Contributor

Lindsey Fiori is a senior Human Health Sciences major on the pre-dental track. A native of New York, she came to Lexington from Palm Beach, Fla. She will graduate in May. Outside of CHS, she is a member of the Pre-Dental Society, Fellowship of Women in Dentistry, and Alpha Phi Sorority. In addition, she has volunteered at Mission Lexington and Jupiter Medical Center in the PACU, while working as a PATHfinder Peer Mentor. 
 

Why should you be a part of the Summer Bridge Program? Let me tell you. 

When I began my freshman year in 2020, I came to campus not knowing a single person. It took a lot of time for me to get acclimated to campus and meet friends with similar academic interests.

Now I get to help students in the same situations.

Although I have been a PATHfinder for the College of Health Sciences for the past two years, last year was when I got to experience the entirety of my role. The PATHfinder Peer Mentor program is a compassionate community of mentors that focus on fostering growth, inclusivity and belongingness for first-year students. Last summer, I had the opportunity to attend the Summer Bridge Program as a peer mentor. Summer Bridge is a four-day program for incoming first-year CHS students.

And those interested in signing up for the program can do so now. 

The week begins with a two-day training for the mentors. The training provided me the chance to know my fellow mentors on a personal level through endless icebreakers, a competitive bowling match, and a group dinner at BJ’s. Through this experience, I formed new friendships with the other mentors and learned the importance of group collaboration.

The first-year students arrived at Lewis Hall, where they had the chance to meet their mentor teams for the week. During the first day of the Summer Bridge, mentors focused on introducing the first-year students to one another and the College of Health Sciences. 

The second day began with an introduction to the Office of Student Advising. Students had the chance to meet and ask questions with their academic advisors. The day concludes with a student panel from the various majors in the College and an Army Suture Clinic directed by Sergeant DuMont from the Health Professions Scholarship Program.

During the last day, mentors and mentees collaborated with the Center for Graduate and Professional Diversity Initiatives to participate in various service opportunities. Students had the chance to volunteer with Dr. Patrick Kitzman, a professor in the UK department of Physical Therapy, who works to make children’s toys more accessible; Campus Kitchen, an organization on campus that supports students in eliminating food insecurity and food waste; and the Ronald McDonald House. This service activity was a huge success as it allowed me to connect with my mentees on a deeper level. I got to understand why my mentees were passionate about serving others and entering their particular healthcare discipline, 

Later that day, students received a presentation from MoneyCATS, a financial education program offered by the University, followed by a hands-on training from Stop the Bleed, a course that teaches how to save a life before someone bleeds out.

It is safe to say that the highlight for many individuals at the Summer Bridge was the Round Robin Tournament, which concluded each day. Mentors and mentees were divided into five teams where we competed in a variety of games such as volleyball, cornhole and a very passionate water balloon fight. There was lots of competition and energy among the groups.

Before the first-year students departed, the mentors worked to create paper plate awards for each of the 35 mentees who attended. It was a fun and creative way to wrap up a very successful week.

My mentee felt the same way.

“Before going to Summer Bridge I was really nervous, as I had so many questions about my major and how I would adapt to college life,” said Mackenzie Moon, who is majoring in Human Health Sciences. “After going and getting almost all of my questions answered that had me worried, I felt so much more prepared for school. I’m so glad I went, and I don’t regret it at all as I met friends that I still talk with today. Developing those relationships really helped me when moving to campus and helped make the transition easier as I had support.”

Being a peer mentor at the Summer Bridge allowed me to provide students with an experience that I missed out on. Throughout the course of the three days, I was able to watch my mentees become more comfortable and excited about starting their freshman year. I was able to watch them build friendships with their future classmates as well as upperclassmen within the College of Health Sciences.

My time at the Summer Bridge was such a rewarding experience. It's one I know I'll never forget. 
 

Apply now for the Summer Bridge program! Applications will be accepted until June 30, 2024, or until the cohort is full.

Follow the Peer Mentors on Instagram for more info @ukchspeermentors