Perceptions of Peer Mentorship within Living Learning Communities: A Case Study

Living-learning communities (LLC) are seen as a way to help promote student engagement and retention using best practices in higher education (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2014). Resident Assistants (RA), also known as resident advisors, and LLC peer mentors are members of a residential community in college who are employed to help provide a sense of community among residents on their floor or in their building (Rieske & Benjamin, 2015). Previous research (Wyile, 2012) on LLC peer mentor interactions provided examples of how peer mentors could enhance a community within a college LLC. This qualitative study will explore LLC residents’ perceptions of peer mentorship. I will focus on first-year resident interactions with their RA, in comparison to their LLC peer mentor. I will analyze the influence of the LLC peer mentor and RA on student’s experiences within an LLC using environmental frameworks. Analyzing student perceptions on peer mentorship interactions, both RAs and peer mentors, within an LLC may help determine the necessity of a peer-mentoring program within the construction of an LLC.