FAQs

How did the program start?

Given the unexpected disruption of Vassar College's Spring-2020 semester and a rapid transition to online/remote learning that followed, Alison and Nandeeta organized an intercollegiate discussion with student consultants from different colleges and universities to discuss experiences of and recommendations for learning (which led to the creation of this resource) and how they have been envisioning their role in their partnership programs. To continue to foster intercollegiate collaboration, Alison and Nandeeta envisioned this program through which student partners from different colleges/universities are matched with one another to develop new relationships and support pedagogical partnership work during this uncertain time of transition. Please see the history page for more information.

How are student consultants matched?

When matching students, we will take into consideration their responses in the application form. We will first ensure that each student is paired with a student from a different university and that the pairs visualize building their relationship through similar platforms and by connecting at similar frequencies. We will also prioritize requests they make in notes that they may have included at the bottom of the form. In addition to these approaches, we will strive to partner students from different class years, areas of study, and lengths of experience as student partners to encourage conversation across diverse backgrounds.

What happens after student partners are matched?

After student partners are matched, we will connect them to one another and encourage conversation between them (in a format and as frequently as they are comfortable with, as indicated in the form) with the help of prompts. We hope this opportunity will not be too time consuming, so consequently, and after this initial conversation, we would encourage the student partners to continue their relationship by checking in with one another as many times and in ways they find helpful.

How may students and their universities benefit from the program?

We envision that this connection and consequent conversations can help support pedagogical partnership work at the student partners' respective universities: by allowing students to share and receive ideas on pedagogical practices they observe in a classroom, the format of their program, what their role entails, how their role is supported, etc. While hearing a different perspective on pedagogical partnership work may simply support a student partner on a personal level (by establishing relationships and broadening their perspective), student partners could also bring this wealth of knowledge and experience to students, faculty, and staff at their own institution to brainstorm ideas to help their own pedagogical partnership program develop. This exchange could provide a unique perspective on partnership work that student partners might have otherwise not have had access to.