COMPASS Program Overview

COMPASS has multiple active programs called Headings. A student can participate in a Heading to "Navigate Forward" and elevate their skill sets.
All Headings are designed to help students improve in broad areas that enhance the success of their educational experience.
A mentoring session lasts roughly 60 minutes and usually takes place via Zoom or similar video-conference platform. It has been shown that virtual face-to-face meetings create more effective connections than those solely accomplished via email or phone. We are all about connections!
If you have any questions, please contact us at COMPASS@erau.edu.

What is Mentoring?

Who are the Mentors?

What is Mentoring?

In the context of COMPASS, mentorship is defined as the following:

Mentors provide an example and guide to the world in and beyond the student's Embry-Riddle educational journey, enhancing the student's affinity for the Colleges and University, and enabling greater persistence toward graduation goals and more timely degree completion via the COMPASS Headings one can take to navigate forward.

The mentor's job is to listen, ask penetrating questions, and help the students toward greater clarity of their goals and courses of action. Ultimately, each Heading is designed to enhance the students' success and provide them tools to better—and more quickly—reach their graduation goals. Mentoring may touch on subjects such as school, work, performance, career, health, or relationships.

Note: Faculty are not qualified to give, nor will they provide, counseling or therapy. If conversations seem to be moving in the direction of counseling or therapy, the mentor will stop the session and recommend that the student seek the appropriate assistance. Please reach out to Student Services if this is the sort of support you need.

Who are the Mentors?

For the Cohort and Individual Headings, our mentors are professors and instructors who have a deep desire to help our students overcome the obstacles of higher education through the challenging life situations in which we find ourselves. They have a broad range of backgrounds, interests, and expertise. Most importantly, they have all achieved what the students themselves are seeking—degrees. Most have done so through adverse situations and have progressed on to significant professional experience. Thus, they can relate to the student's challenges and provide support that is actionable and truly supportive. They have a great deal to offer any Worldwide student, and they are enthusiastically committed to helping and supporting those students to succeed and reach their goals.

For the PAL Heading, our Peer and Alumni Leader (PAL) Mentors are COMPASS-experienced students and recent graduates who have completed a peer mentorship certification program and are excited to help other students navigate through common and shared challenges. Their experiences-being students, and succeeding in their programs, or having recently graduated with their ERAU degrees-enables these mentors to uniquely address the obstacles faced in degree pursuit and completion.

COMPASS Headings

Cohort

Individual

PAL

Cohort Mentorship

Up to seven students work with a faculty mentor for four months, focusing on set topics designed to support newer students and overcome barriers to success. Mentors provide the initial topics for discussion and supporting activities. Additionally, student-offered topics may be addressed as well. Your Cohort members and your faculty mentor will coordinate to meet twice a month for those four months (although your connections can continue long after the cycle ends).

Here you can find the COMPASS Cohort Mentorship Application.

Applications are evaluated at the end of August and January of each year. Programs begin each September and February.

Individual Mentorship

Students work one-on-one with a faculty mentor for a full academic year. This is a flexibly structured mentorship program, and the topics addressed are based on the student’s goals and needs. The mentor primarily acts as a guide and professional advisor. You and your mentor will coordinate to meet once or twice each month for the academic year (although connections can continue long after that period ends).

Applications are evaluated monthly, except over the summer (June-August); summer applications are evaluated in August. Mentorship assignments are given in September and monthly through May of each year.

Here you can find the COMPASS Individual Mentorship application.

PAL Mentorship

The PAL—Peer and Alumni Leader—Mentorship Program will pair a trained, certified student mentor or alumnus with a cohort of up to five students for group and PAL mentorship that lasts a single four-month cycle (although connections can continue long after the cycle ends). Mentors provide the initial topics for discussion and supporting activities. Additionally, student-offered topics may be addressed as well.

Applications are evaluated at the end of August and January of each year. Programs begin each September and February.

Here you can find the COMPASS PAL Mentorship application.

If you are interested in becoming a PAL mentor, please contact COMPASS@erau.edu.

Requirements:

Peer:

Active student in good standing
No academic probations
Completed at least one cycle in any COMPASS Heading
Completed Peer Leader training (provided)

Alumnus:

Graduated within the last two years
Completed Peer Leader Training (provided)
Completed at least one cycle in any COMPASS heading is preferred (although not required)