Jump Start program connects new CWU students with peers, resources

The transition to college life can be complex, especially for first-generation students, whose families don’t always have answers to their questions as they navigate their first year in higher education.

At Central Washington University, the Jump Start program, initiated three years ago, aims to alleviate some of those initial challenges by providing peer mentorship, along with an expanded Week of Welcome designed to give students from first-generation and underrepresented backgrounds access to the resources they need to succeed.

Jump Start Program Coordinator Bekah Bresee joined the program in June of 2024. She believes the personal approach resonates with students because it is grounded in empathy and genuine connection, as opposed to being just a series of boxes to check.

“Our main goal is to make sure students don’t feel alone or helpless during their transition to college, which can be daunting,” she said. “CWU has so many resources available for students, and part of our job is making sure students can access those resources when they need them.”

Bresee oversees a team of student employees who help plan and execute events throughout the year designed to help new students find their footing at CWU.

“The most fundamental part of this program is having peer mentors and student leadership involved,” she said. “If it’s just me — just some lady who’s not a student — making all the decisions, then I don’t see how that’s as impactful for our students, especially not those who might be coming from underserved populations. Students need to see themselves in our leaders to see how they can become leaders themselves.”

Junior clinical physiology major Hailey McNeill is one such student employee, serving as Jump Start’s student programmer. As a first-generation student herself, she understands the struggle of learning the ins and outs of university life.

“When I came to college, I had no clue about anything,” McNeill said. “I didn’t realize there were so many steps and processes to everything. Having a team of knowledgeable peers on hand to help navigate it would have been really useful then, and I’m glad we get to provide that for our incoming students.”

In addition to providing an important service for fellow first-generation students, McNeill sees her role at Jump Start as being valuable job experience for her future.

“I’ve learned that I wasn’t the only one going through all these stressors my first year, so it’s really nice to be able to relate to these students who are in the same boat I was two years ago,” she said. “Down the line, I know I’ll be able to use this experience to better relate to my patients, which is important in a clinical setting.”

After meeting Bresee at an orientation event last summer, freshman Ari Ringsbye decided to sign up for Jump Start in order to help get her university career started right.

“It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she said. “I have connected with so many people and I see them around campus all the time. That has made the transition to college much easier because I don’t feel like everyone is a stranger. Being part of this program has helped ease my anxiety about being a new college student.”

While Ringsbye has yet to declare a major, she has wanted to be a teacher since the second grade. Through Jump Start, she has found fresh inspiration that she can one day bring with her into the classroom.

“School should be a safe place, and I want to help kids know there is someone looking out for them, like my teachers looked out for me,” Ringsbye said.

Fall 2024 marked the first official Jump Start Experience Week, which was attended by 43 students. Among the more popular activities was a tour of the Wildcat Farm and a cooking demonstration by Campus Executive Chef Joe Ritchie.

Bresee hopes to see the number of participants grow next fall as awareness about Jump Start continues to spread.