When students sign up to study digital cinematography at Full Sail, they’ll be setting off on a path to learn the skills needed to become independent video creators. But they don’t have to make that journey on their own – the online curriculum offers plenty of support for students, including a peer mentorship program. Here’s how the program works.

Becoming a Peer Mentor

In order to give the best support possible, students who are interested in mentoring their peers need to meet certain criteria before they get started. They must be halfway through their digital cinematography classes, and they need a GPA of 3.0 or higher as well as approval from two of their course directors. Aspiring student mentors also must submit a short bio, a letter to send to prospective mentees, and a quick video to introduce themselves to their peers.

After they’ve met those prerequisites, they have to go over the final details with Ronald Diltz, a digital cinematography course director and the chair of the mentorship program. Ronald says that personality and passion are the two most important qualities in a student mentor; communication and organization are essential as well.

“[A digital cinematography mentor should be] someone who's just passionate, who’s just easy to talk to, because that's really important when it comes to mentoring… [They should be] a great communicator as well, because it's important for [the mentors] when they receive communication from students to hit them back quickly. Having communication skills and being organized is very important to me. And then of course, having that personality where anyone would want to talk to you, want to work with you,” Ronald says.

Choosing a Peer Mentor

Digital cinematography students who’d like a peer mentor can browse through the available video profiles and bios to find someone they might connect with. Once they’ve established a relationship with their mentor, students can talk to them about using their digital cinematography cameras and other equipment, navigating class projects, or just get moral support from someone who understands what they’re experiencing.

“A lot of students just really need encouragement [from a peer mentor],” says Ronald. “Just having someone that they can talk to and say, ‘Hey, I'm having a tough time,’ and just getting someone to encourage them in that moment… The student mentors are giving their experience and sharing how they got through [certain courses and] some of the projects to encourage the students.”

Most student mentors are available for a minimum of four months, but many stay on for longer periods of time. Having a positive experience with a peer mentor can help students succeed in their digital cinematography courses and help them develop relationships that can last beyond graduation.

Learn more about studying digital cinematography at Full Sail here.