A First-Term Seminar (FTS) at Gustavus looks a little different than it does at other colleges. For starters, the people students go through orientation with are also their classmates for the required FTS they take during their first semester on the Hill. Although it’s only the first step into the rest of your time at Gustavus, it’s also one of the most meaningful. I’m still friends with some of my FTS classmates, and one of them even became my roommate and sorority sister!
The other big FTS difference: it’s where one class per week is led by a junior or senior Gustavus student, called a Peer MALT, for Peer Mentor, Academic Leader, and Teacher. It’s a thoughtful and engaging process for first-year students, and for the Peer MALTs as well. I know this because my positive experience with my own Peer MALT during my first year motivated me to become one myself.
Among other things, my Peer MALT helped me get more involved on campus by encouraging me apply to be a Finance Student-at-Large for the Gustavus Student Senate. I would have never thought about this opportunity if not for her, and my time in the Senate has led to realizations about myself and the post-grad career I envision.
Peer MALTs are chosen through a selective application process each spring. Some are encouraged to apply by professors or previous MALTs; others apply on their own whim. Selection ultimately comes down to availability of the students applying and the schedule of the courses available, as well as to student/professor preference pairings. The Peer MALT section of the FTS is about helping students be successful at Gustavus, academically and socially, as well as maintaining positive mental and physical wellbeing.
Twice a week, the MALTs meet to discuss lesson plans, wins and difficulties in the classroom, and personal philosophies toward teaching. This “non-departmental learning course” counts as the PeerMALTs’ Challenge Seminar because of the various projects and techniques they use throughout the semester.
Being a Peer MALT has brought a different perspective to my own education. Meeting with younger students is one of the things I look forward to the most every week. Each student has their own set of excitements and worries that I can respond to and incorporate into my lessons. Each Peer MALT gets up to three “MALT Choice” days where the MALT decides what to teach, with lessons ranging from Arboretum tours to how to use Career Center services.
Having a Peer MALT in the classroom is a great opportunity for students to ask all their questions, ranging from the funny and curious to the serious and personal. It allows students to let their guard down during the sometimes difficult transition from high school to college. One of the most engaging lessons I chose focused on the Campus Safety Office and its services, aside from their general practice of monitoring parking and issuing parking tickets. My students had questions ranging from Lost and Found to where and how to buy a parking permit. It was such a gratifying moment to leave the classroom that day knowing I had answered so many questions, soothed their worries, and celebrated their successes. Some of them were finally getting their car on campus later that month, which was a fun moment to celebrate, too!
Evolving from a PeerMALT’s student into a PeerMALT myself has opened my eyes to what it means to be part of a group, as a student and as a leader, and it has given me the opportunity to reflect on my experiences when I first got to Gustavus and recognize how far I have come. My FTS and initial Peer MALT experience even led to the declaration of my major, Classical Languages, which I chose in part because of the example my Peer MALT set about how much you can do with that degree. Without my FTS and my Peer MALT, my Gustavus experience would be far different than it is today, and I’m grateful for the opportunities the College offers to new students and the Peer MALTs who help guide them.