Buccaneer Involvement Guides

First-year students and peer mentor

The BIGs Program

The Buccaneer Involvement Guides (BIGs) program is a peer mentorship program embedded inside of ETSU 1020, ETSU 1011, PREH 1350, BADM 1130, CSCI 1510, and RHSC 1100 first-year experience courses. This program was implemented in Fall of 2016 with the primary purpose of providing first-year students with a peer mentor (or BIG) who will assist the students to get involved in campus activities and organizations, serve as a point of connection to campus resources, role model balance between academic achievement and extracurricular activity, and create a sense of community within the course section. Each year the program has succeeded in documenting a strong correlation between student interaction with their BIG and retention, academic achievement, and campus involvement. 

What is a BIG?

A Buccaneer Involvement Guide (BIG) plays a vital role in supporting incoming Buccaneers in their transition to college life in their first semester. BIGs serve as a mentor and role model for new students while simultaneously developing their own leadership and professional skills that will follow them during their time at ETSU and after graduation. BIGs are leaders on campus and have the responsibility of encouraging new students to get involved and make a lasting impact during their time at ETSU.  

Applications for being a BIGs are now open! Apply here! 

  • Learning Outcomes
    As a result of being a BIG, students will be able to: 
    1. Apply knowledge of campus resources and organizations to support students and encourage them to get involved on campus.
    2. Demonstrate effective leadership and teamwork skills as it relates to working with an instructor as well as other BIGs. 
    3. Develop skills related to fostering a positive professional relationship with an instructor and gain valuable teaching assistant experience. 
    4. Practice enhanced interpersonal communication skills, including public speaking and active listening. 
  • Responsibilities 
    • Familiarize new students with resources, organizations, clubs, and activities on campus and heavily promote campus engagement and involvement.
    • Facilitate two one-on-one meetings per semester with each student 
    • Facilitate an activity outside of class time for the entire class 
    • Schedule and attend regular meetings with the class instructor and assist them as needed 
    • Teach lessons designed and designated specifically for the BIG to facilitate. 
    • Facilitate ice breaker activities before each class 
  • Requirements and Expectations
    • Be a current, full-time East Tennessee State University student who is graduating in December of 2024 or later. 
    • Be in good academic standing and must maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 2.5
    • Attend summer check-in meetings (Zoom)
    • Attend required BIGs training (2024 training dates TBD), weekly organization meetings, and instructor’s workshop (dates will vary based on course placement).
    • Have and maintain good conduct with no outstanding judicial sanctions
    • Abide by state and university policies, and the Buccaneer Involvement Guides contract. 
    • Have a desire to learn and work with others of diverse backgrounds. 
  • Compensation and Benefits
    • Valuable leadership and teaching assistant experience 
    • Networking opportunities with university staff and other student leaders 
    • Gain knowledge of campus resources, services, and organizations
    • $500 scholarship to be awarded at the conclusion of the experience 
  • Application Process
    We are so excited that you are interested in being a BIG! The selection process is as follows: 
    • Fill out the BIGs application here.
    • Be on the lookout for an email to select an interview time
    • Complete a group and one-on-one interview with BIGs staff 
    • Wait for an email regarding your hiring decision!  
  • FAQs 
    • How many BIGs are selected each year? The number of BIGs selected heavily depends on the number of first year experiences courses available for them to be placed in. This year we had about 60 BIGs and are looking to grow even more in the future! 
    • Do I have to attend interest meetings in order to apply? It is not required, but highly encouraged.
    • Did I have to take a first-year experience (FYE) course in order to be a BIG? Yes! Ideally, we would like all of our BIGs to have had first-hand experience in an FYE course in order to best serve incoming students.  

Contact Information

For more information contact Loren Gibson, BIGs Graduate Assistant bigs@etsu.eduor Lexi Petrak, Assistant Director for Campus Visits, petrak@etsu.edu