The University of Alabama Student Government Association is currently seeking mentors for its Capstone Connection program.

The primary goal of Capstone Connection is to group current students with freshmen during their first year of college.

“Capstone Connection was started in an effort to engage the freshman class and improve the first year experience,” Vice President for Student Affairs David Wilson said. “We want to better engage freshmen in all of the opportunities and adventures that exist throughout the University of Alabama campus.”

All incoming students who are interested in the program may sign up for a Capstone Connection mentor. Each freshman will subsequently be paired with a more experienced member of the UA student body who can help make the student’s transition from high school to college more comfortable.

“Any freshman interested in having a mentor will be able to sign up for the program,” Wilson said. “We are working on an extensive recruitment campaign to get people to sign up for Capstone Connection during Bama Bound and the start of the fall semester.”

Each student who applies to be a mentor will be trained on what to expect from the incoming students and how to make their freshman year a better experience.

Since training is provided, requirements for the position are minimal.

“We are looking for students who are passionate about our campus and are looking to impact its future,” he said. “We will hold training sessions in the fall, so no prior experience or training is necessary.”

Mentors who display dedication to Capstone Connection will be eligible to win prizes from the school.

“Any mentor who has perfect attendance to all of the meetings will be entered in a drawing to win a free iPad,” Wilson said.

Capstone Connection is more than a program to help freshmen settle into campus, he said. The program gives incoming freshmen and mentors the opportunity to build relationships that have the potential to last far beyond the college years.

“This is an opportunity to make a valuable impact on the lives of others while building friendships that could very well last a lifetime,” he said. “The freshman year is so important in terms of the overall college experience, and we really want to provide freshmen with all the tools needed to be successful.”

Students interested in becoming mentors for Capstone Connection should contact McKay Cleveland at [email protected]. The application deadline is April 29 at 5 p.m.