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My RAP-SI Experience                                                                                           Jordan Ortega​

 

 

 

                  RAP-SI, which stands for Retention Achievement Professionalism Success Institute, is a mentoring program and project of CUNY BMI (Black Male Initiative). It is a program very present here at City College and serves the diverse student body by providing a plethora of advanced strategies, academic resources and advisement. Its many functions are all for the aid of the students, to assist them in getting to where they want to be. Simply put, RAP-SI is a program full of individuals ready to help.

 

                 Back in January of 2012, I was a student struggling with the transition to a four year school. I had transferred from Bronx Community College and had just gotten through my first semester at City College. Not only were the classes much more challenging but I was also playing for the men's basketball team, which consumed much of my time. Professor Frye, a RAP-SI mentor, suggested I join the program and helped me prioritize my responsibilities.

 

                  I also began attending the RAP-SI sessions which took place weekly during club hours. Each week, we would have a different topic, such as "How can we reduce stress?" or "How can we organize our time better?" The topic always seemed to correspond with a particular concern than many of us students were having trouble dealing with and I always left the session feeling better prepared. RAP-SI provided guest speakers many times who were particularly helpful in improving our understanding of the problems we faced and how we could overcome them. A memorable session included former Giants running-back and retired football champion Lee Rousan, who delivered an inspirational speech on confronting adversity. The weekly sessions helped keep me focused all semester long and also allowed me to meet many of my peers who have since become my friends.

 

                  RAP-SI sessions are aimed at helping with the daily struggles of the college student, but that doesn't mean that specific or personal problems are not addressed. Advisement on college decisions such as switching majors, dropping a class or planning for post-graduate work is also a function of the program.

 

                  One of the primary components of RAP-SI is the peer mentoring program. Upper level students such as myself are matched up with mentees and assist them by providing college guidance and feedback. Mentors and mentees set goals that they would like to strive towards which can be as minor as getting to all their classes on time or as grand as getting A's in every one of their courses. With my mentee, we discuss her possible interests for future careers as she has yet to choose a major. We also go over all of her essays every week and try and make sure they are as good as they can possibly be. The mentoring program is also extended to faculty and staff. Where I am a mentor to a freshman, being an upper classman, I am also a mentee to an assistant professor in the English department, English being my field of study.

 

                  I maintain frequent contact with my mentor and mentee through various means, one of which is RAP-Online, the online arm of the RAP-SI mentoring program. It is a timesaving online mentoring system with a record-keeping component that provides an online interface between mentor and mentee which helps to alleviate the normal communication and time demand issues that traditionally plague mentoring programs. It allows communication to be constant, professional and free.

 

                  Out of all of RAP-SI's functions, what's most impressive to me is that it also acts as an information centerhold. Where RAP-SI may not have the resources to help you if you were to enter their office and ask for help, they can most certainly figure out who you should be talking to and help to point you in the right direction. RAP-SI always stays true to its mission to support the education of all students who come to them for assistance. There is no doubt that I am now a much better student and a more balanced person since I have joined the program.