SPM Leaders Help Others Master Engineering
Helping Others Master Engineering. Make SPM Your H.O.M.E.
The Society of Peer Mentors (SPM) is a student organization at LSU that focuses on mentoring and leadership for the College of Engineering. Our goal is to help students transition to LSU and the College through a variety of activities and programs. Activities include K-12 outreach, robotics mentoring, and freshmen mentoring through camps and classes.
SPM is open to all students enrolled in the College of Engineering. You must be in good standing with the University and have a positive attitude.
Leaders
The Cain Department of Chemical Engineering currently has two students serving as SPM Leaders--Caity Dufore and Amanda Ross. To view the list of SPM Leaders in its entirety, please visit https://www.spmlsu.org/leadership.
Caity Dufore is the current Administrative Secretary of Society of Peer Mentors. She is in Chemical Engineering and joined SPM during her freshman year in Spring 2020 after attending the Encounter Engineering (E2) camp. Caity loved every second of E2 and knew she wanted to be part of the program for incoming students. She also currently works on-campus at the LSU Women’s Center and is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). In her free time, Caity enjoys hunting and fishing with her dad and cooking at home with her friends.
Amanda Ross is the current Point Secretary of Society of Peer Mentors. She is in Chemical Engineering, planning to utilize her degree by solving worldwide issues in regard to plastic waste and pollution in our oceans. Born in Chandler, AZ, and raised in Mandeville, LA, Amanda's goal is to expedite environmental concerns globally. She joined SPM her freshman year at LSU in 2020 and particularly loved her experience with the Fulbright German Engineering Program. Amanda is also a member of the American Institute for Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Air & Waste Management Association, Animal Care For A Cause, International Society for Water Solutions, and Institute for Sustainability. She enjoys spending time outside, hanging out with family and friends, and watching reality TV.
Robotics
Robotics Mentors lead regional elementary, middle, and high school teams in FIRST Robotics Competitions (FRC) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), and host competitions for FIRST Lego League (FLL) participants. Mentors work with the schools' teams in order to inspire young students to become involved in these exciting and innovative technological fields. We teach our mentors that being a leader of a robotics team means facilitating teamwork, encouraging innovative problem solving, assisting with computer programming and basic design, and supporting them throughout their project.
Encounter Engineering
Encounter Engineering is a bridge camp for incoming Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management students.
Outreach
Founded in 2012, SPM has grown to have about 150 members each year. These mentors participate in a wide variety of STEM outreach events in Baton Rouge and surrounding communities. These events allow K-12 students to learn about and experience activities that showcase the different aspects of engineering. The goal of these outreaches is to gain students’ interest in STEM fields, and the mentors gain valuable leadership and communication skills.
A typical outreach event involves Peer Mentors guiding the participants through an interactive activity designed to demonstrate a specific field of engineering. SPM volunteers at a variety of local school STEM nights, summer camps, robotics competitions, and other community. SPM outreach events average 3.4 hours.
More
For additional information on the Society of Peer Mentors visit https://www.spmlsu.org/about and/or contact SPM Staff Advisor Adrienne Steele at adriennesteele@lsu.edu. Adrienne serves as the Assistant Director for Student Programs and Outreach in the College of Engineering and facilitates several mentoring and student leadership activities.