The PALS or Peer Academic Leaders “are responsible for supporting the student experience by providing academic resources and peer to peer support out of the Student Affairs Office.”

The PALs provide peer academic support for students and can help with studying techniques course selection and can help you understand the arts undergraduate calendar. Come visit the pals at the following hours at their desk in Sweeney hall ask them questions and grab a study snack. 

Over the past few years, the PALs have had some changes mainly in the area of their physical space, where the PALS are located. 

Back in 2017, The PALs were located at the desk near the Sweeny entrance closest to the cafeteria. This location was great for the PALs because it had a lot of foot traffic, a computer was available to work through course selection with students as well as any other tasks that students required. The disadvantage of this space was that two formal front desk spaces caused confusion as there is a desk on the opposite end of Sweeney closest to the residence, and there was difficulty at times finding a quieter and less public place to work with students when required.

Around 2018, 2019 the PALs moved to office 1012 and shared the space with the Outreach and Recruitment Associate co-op student. 

This office was beneficial in that it allowed for private conversations in a way the front desk did not. As well a computer was available to work on projects during office hours when not helping students. The office really allowed for these projects to grow as the distractions were limited in the office and allowed for the quiet and focus that is needed to have a successful project. The issues that were involved in this space is that there was not as much foot traffic of students in the office and the PALs office hours were much quieter than they had been. 
 

At the beginning of this term, winter 2020, the PALs moved spaces once more and have returned to the entrance of Sweeney closest to the Cafeteria. This space brings back the benefits from the original desk in the form of foot traffic and more and more students are becoming aware of the PAL program and are seeking them out and asking for assistance. 

The PALs see this latest change as a positive one as returning to the entrance of the building as opposed to being in an office, as mentioned, has created more foot traffic for the PALs and they feel it makes them more approachable for students as they walk in. Currently, you can meet the PALs in their temporary desk set up at the entrance to Sweeney Hall. 

When working on this post I meet and discussed the program with the current PALs and I asked them what the biggest thing they would want the community to know about the PAL program and they said that the biggest and most important thing to know about the PALs right now is that they are here and they are willing and wanting to help you!

During my meeting with them, I also asked the current PAL team to describe what they believe the PAL team stands for at the end of the interview and here is what they had to say. They described themselves as a group of people who are around to listen to students in whatever way the students feel it is best for them, a person who is around for whatever students in the Sweeney Hall student affairs hallway might need from directions to academic help. 

An important fact about the members of this years, and past years PAL teams as well is that all members of the team joined, because they were in some way impacted or helped by a member of a past PAL team, and it inspired them to give back as a PAL in the same way that PALs had given to them.

 

 

 

If you have any suggestions for content that you would love to read about on our blog, please send an email to outreach@sju.ca! We would love to know what our students are interested in reading and knowing more about. 

 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS 

TWITTER: @StJeromesUni 

INSTAGRAM: @StJeromesUni

FACEBOOK: StJeromesUniversity