Peer Leaders from the Office of Student Affairs' Student Leadership Program (SLP) took an active role in helping new students during the Fall 2013 orientation, by "adopting" freshmen and helping them adjust to university life.

Prior to the orientation, the Student Leadership Program conducted a training session for the new batch of Peer Leaders, which provided students with various ideas about building and developing their leadership skills. The leaders were encouraged to be patient, flexible and open to change and to take the first step while approaching new students.

During the orientation, the AUS Peer Leaders were around to ensure that freshmen felt welcomed and were taken care of by their mentors. They gave individualized attention to their adoptees and made plans to meet with them on a one-to-one basis during the first week of classes to ensure that they settled in smoothly. As part of the Peer Leaders' duties to adopt freshmen, they also encouraged new students to begin thinking about their leadership opportunities at AUS by enrolling in the Emerging Leaders Program.

According to Mina Mazin Mustafa, a Peer Leader and sophomore majoring in environmental sciences, "The most important thing that I tried to maintain in the orientation was being friendly to everyone. Although this experience was a bit challenging in the beginning, I cannot deny that I learned that it is very essential to always take the first step. This means we have to approach people in order to get the answers for all our doubts. I believe that I am more confident right now than ever before."

"I am impressed by our Peer Leaders for their willingness to go the extra mile and assist our new students. Year after year, we are witnessing an increase in student interest in the Peer Leaders Program. The duties of Peer Leaders are not easy, but they have proven to have the power to utilize their leadership skills and make an impact in others. Congratulations to all the Peer Leaders and keep up the good work," said Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.