Week 16 Intro from PAL Initiative
The Peer Advising Leaders (PAL) program at Oberlin College serves as a student-led advising and support system designed to assist new students in their transition, academic, and social life at the college. PALs help guide new students through orientation and beyond, fostering a supportive community and encouraging student success.
During New Student Orientation, PALs play an active role in welcoming and orienting incoming students. They facilitate sessions, answer questions, and help students acclimate to college life. PALs are second-, third-, and fourth-year students who have been trained to support Arts and Sciences and Double Degree students. Each PAL leads a cohort of 15 new students who share a class through the First-Year Seminar program (FYSP).
The PAL program is integrated with the LEAD 050 course, a first-year seminar or leadership development class focusing on academic success, community engagement, and personal growth. Through LEAD 050, PALs gain training and development as peer leaders while supporting their peers.
The ethos of "Obies helping Obies" remains at the core of the PAL program. Every new student at Oberlin College has a PAL assigned to them. This support continues throughout the fall semester, with opportunities for students to build relationships with their peers and articulate their goals for the first semester.
In addition, there is a dedicated peer advising program within the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, known as the Conservatory Peer Advising Leaders (ConPAL) Program. ConPALs offer specialized advising and guidance tailored to conservatory students’ unique academic and artistic needs, complementing the broader PAL efforts.
Overall, the PAL and ConPAL programs at Oberlin College are structured to empower student leaders to assist their peers in navigating both academic pathways and campus life, supported by leadership training in the LEAD 050 course and engagement during New Student Orientation.
During the week of August 19th, the PAL experience begins with remote meetings to prepare for the upcoming academic year. If you want further specifics or official Oberlin College documentation, I can help find those.
In the ongoing PAL and ConPAL programs at Oberlin College, education and self-development are central, with the programs designed to empower student leaders through training and development, fostering a supportive community and guiding peers in navigating academic pathways and campus life. The PALs and ConPALs are assigned to new students, providing support throughout their transition, offering advice for academic success, community engagement, and personal growth.
