College of Visual and Performing Arts | Students | CVPA Advising | Peer Guides

Peer Guides

About Us

A CVPA Peer Guide serves as a point person for new incoming students to dialogue with regarding questions specific to their major and/or their experience within CVPA. These students are selected to share their skills, knowledge, experience, and perspective to foster the personal growth and success of their peers. Peer Guides will act as a role model for students and teach them how to navigate college life and the significance of adaptability, resilience, and professionalism. Peer Guides are uniquely suited to connect to their fellow students, increase approachability, and speak from experience that is relevant.

Peer Guides as described by previous Peer Guides – “gained leadership experience”, “got involved in the community”, “made connections with fellow students”, “experience creating programs that benefitted my peers”, “mentally rewarding”, “made a difference in the lives of first year students”

Peer Guides as described by previous first-year students – helpful, caring, guidance, engaging, personable, resourceful, dedicated, kind, sweet, resilient, good listener, orienteer, trusted, great, friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and understanding

Our Outreach includes:

Regular Student-Led Programming – 15 Peer Guide created and produced programs throughout the academic year with a variety of topics and activities meant to engage CVPA students and increase interaction between the schools within CVPA. Examples of previous programs include:

CVPA Scavenger Hunt
Karaoke Night (highly attended)
CVPA Game Night
Academic Help Podcast
Open Mic Night (highly attended)
Advising Help & 4 Year Plans
Theatre Family Feud
Grad School Applications
CVPA Bingo/Jeopardy
Make Your Own Calming Bottles
DIY Magnets
Stupid Cupid PJ Party
Just Breathe: Movie & Conversation
Make Your Own Heat Pack
You as a Toon Contest
Dress to Express Contest

Mentorship via MAC Foundations Classes – Peer Guides are paired with a CVPA MAC Foundations course (ART 105, DCE 102, MUS 109, or THR 101) and have a subset of the enrolled students in this course as their “cohort” for the academic year. Peer Guides are tasked with engaging in regular outreach, check-ins, one-on-one meetings, and academic/personal/professional assistance with their cohort.

Social Media Engagement – Peer Guides manage the current CVPA student social media pages on Instagram, Discord, and TikTok. These social media pages cater to the current UNCG CVPA student and focus on sharing content that is relatable and relevant to our CVPA students. All CVPA students are encouraged to follow these pages and use them as a way to stay “in the know” regarding CVPA news and updates.

Academic Assistance – Peer Guides support CVPA students through connection to academic resources across campus and have also provided tutoring and study hall experiences for CVPA-specific course work. A new chapter in the academic support area will open in Spring 2027 with academic coaching that will focus on aiding CVPA students in developing transferrable academic skills such as time management, study strategies, and intrinsic motivation.

Peer Guides are NACE certified student employees and engage in professional development within the following categories:

Leadership
Professionalism
Equity & Inclusion
Self-Development
Critical Thinking
Technology
Teamwork
Communication

Additionally, Peer Guides have completed the following trainings:

Ask. Listen. Refer. Suicide Prevention Awareness and Training
UNCG FERPA Training
Safe Zone and Trans Zone Training

Meet the CVPA Peer Guides:

School of Art

Asaru Carver (he/him)

Major: BFA Studio Art – New Media and Design

Year: Senior

Advice to Freshmen: “Make sure to always take necessary breaks”

Stephanie Okotie (she/her)

Major: BFA Studio Art – Animation

Minors: Videogaming/Esports and Entrepreneurship (Non-Business Track)

Year: Third-Year

Advice to Freshmen: “Explore things outside your comfort zone! You just might like it!”

Simon Price (they/he)

Major: BFA Studio Art – New Media and Design

Year: Senior

Advice to Freshmen: “Go to as many events as possible! It’s the best way to make new friends and have fun at the same time!”

Charlie Sirois (he/they)

Major: BFA Studio Art – Printmaking & Drawing

Minor: Creative Writing

Year: Third-Year

Advice to Freshmen: “Go to your professor’s office hours!! It’ll help more than you know!”

School of Dance

Blythe Sheppard (she/they)

Major: BFA Dance – Choreography and Performance & K-12 Teaching Licensure

Minors: Drama & American Sign Language

Year: Junior

Advice to Freshmen: “Trust that you will find the people who love and appreciate you for you. Don’t be afraid to explore new and potentially ‘weird’ things.”