Student Scholar Spotlight – Diego Lourenco
Student Scholar Spotlight – Diego Lourenco
Featured student work during their time as a college scholar in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Diego Lourenco
I recently became a Peer Coach for UT’s brand new First Year Studies Program, the UT Success Academy, which was started due to the lack of retention in our Black and Latinx male populations. According to the university’s retention data, Black and Latinx males are far less likely to receive a degree, in comparison to their peers. The UT Success Academy is designed to help increase retention, from when students first get to campus, all the way through to graduation. First year students who are a part of this program must engage in activities that, according to data, a “successful student” does. For example, attending tutoring/supplemental instruction sessions, joining a student organization, meeting with academic advisors, creating an academic success plan, and more. If by their senior year of college, they remain in good standing with the program, on top of their renewable scholarship, they will earn an all-expenses-paid, study abroad experience in South Africa. The first cohort size is 215 students, and the goal for next year is 200+. We want to keep expanding the program every single year and continue to help students with their transition into college life.
The role of the Peer Coach is to mentor, advise, and help with the college transition into a primarily white institution for these incoming minority students. I have a group of eight freshmen students that I advise. A few of my responsibilities include hosting events for my mentees to attend, co-facilitating a First Year Studies class, helping the students to make sure they’re meeting their goals and staying on track with the program. Since I’ve become a Peer Coach, I’ve gotten to meet and know so many different freshmen students and learn about their lives. Seeing incoming freshmen come to the university and being able to help them with their transition into college is an amazing experience for me; especially considering how difficult it is to make that transition as a minority student at UT. I wish there was a program like this when I was a freshman at the university. Overall, my goal is to have a positive impact on these students and ensure their time at UT is worth it. Already, only full two weeks into the semester, students have come to me expressing their concerns about college, their fear of failure, and their thoughts on leaving. Our goal is to make sure students are staying in college, and to make Rocky Top feel like home. That’s exactly what I plan to do in my role as a Peer Coach.