The IDEAL program is still a relatively new program on campus and is constantly growing. The program has already grown from three students to 11 in only a semester.
As a result of that, the need for peer mentors to spend time with the IDEAL students has also grown.
Lipscomb students have stepped up to the task. As of right now, IDEAL has around 50 peer mentors in rotation. The responsibilities of the mentors vary. They help IDEAL students with homework and teaching study skills, help run workouts in the SAC, and even join the IDEAL students for lunch.
“My favorite part about being a peer mentor is building individual relationships and being able to experience the joy and perspective they bring to campus nonstop.” said Meghan Anglim, a senior peer mentor. “It’s great to have genuine friends.”
Peer mentors also are given the opportunity to attend mentoring workshops. The workshops offer the volunteers the chance to get further insight into the program and help them learn how to go about different scenarios. The workshops also give the mentors time to get to know one another and meet new people.
The peer mentor group has grown so large that the chapel office created a breakout chapel devoted to IDEAL. The IDEAL breakout is a six week series that focuses on topics related to disability and faith. The chapel also gives the mentors and IDEAL students the opportunity to share their testimonies and converse with one another.
“For me, one of the best things about the IDEAL chapel is that it’s helping the Lipscomb community understand that our students want to experience the Lord in the same way that everyone else does.” said Mallory Whitmore, program director. Not only do they want to experience the Lord in the same way that everyone else does, but they’re able to.”
IDEAL chapel offers moments for the students to break out into groups and get to know each other more. IDEAL builds bonds with not only the students enrolled in the program, but also with the peer mentors themselves.
If you have interest in being an IDEAL peer mentor, swing by the basement of Elam on the foreign language side and get an application from the IDEAL office.
The next peer mentor workshop will be on Monday the 15th from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Ezell 223.