To be eligible to become a peer counselor, students must:

• be registered
• be at least 18 years old
• have at least 45 credits by the end of the training semester
• have a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• be able to make at least a one-year (two consecutive semesters) commitment to the Peer Counseling program after the training semester.

During the first semester of Peer Counseling training, students must take the "Crisis Intervention and Peer Counseling" course offered by the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. They are also required to:

• work at the Peer Counseling Center one evening per week, Monday through Thursday, for two hours from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
• attend a one-hour staff meeting on Wednesdays from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM.

During the second semester of training, students are required to:

• work one four-hour shift per week between the hours of 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM
• attend the staff meeting on Wednesdays from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM.

The complete Peer Counseling Center training timeline (PDF 29KB) appears below and can also be downloaded.

You must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF documents. Go to the Adobe Web site to download Acrobat Reader.

Training Timeline

Semester 1: Spring

• Student fills out peer counseling application.
• Student is interviewed by Peer Counseling Center Coordinator.
• Student participates in a group interview.
• If accepted, student meets with Dr. Jerry Gold to register for 3-credit "Crisis Intervention and Peer Counseling" psychology course.
• Student is now referred to as "peer-in-training" (PIT).

Semester 2: Summer

• PIT participates in Freshman Orientation.

Semester 3: Fall

• PIT attends 3-credit "Crisis Intervention and Peer Counseling" psychology course.
• PIT attends one-hour educational staff meeting each Wednesday from 12:00 noon - 1:00 PM.
• PIT must work one two-hour shift from 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM one evening per week (Monday - Thursday).
• PIT attends a three-day off-campus training weekend in November.
• PIT may be asked to participate in educational workshops or projects.
• PIT is asked to commit two semesters to the program following completion of the academic course.

Semester 4: Spring

• Upon successful completion of the course, the PIT is now referred to as a "peer counselor."
• Peer counselor must attend a one-hour educational meeting each Wednesday from 12:00 noon - 1:00 PM.
• Peer counselor must work one four-hour shift once a week from 7:00 - 11:00 PM.
• Peer counselors may be asked to participate in educational workshops or projects.

Semester 5: Fall

• Peer counselor must attend one-hour educational staff meeting each Wednesday from 12:00 noon - 1:00 PM.
• Peer counselor must work one four-hour shift once a week from 7:00 - 11:00 PM.
• Peer counselor attends a three-day off-campus training weekend in November.
• Peer counselors may be asked to participate in educational workshops or projects.