Vidya Prabhu
- Course: BSc Accounting and Finance
- Year of graduation: 2013
- Nationality: Indian
Accounting and Finance student Vidya Prabhu talks about Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) and her role as a PASS leader.
Being a student in Leeds is a fantastic experience. The Business School in particular is very proactive and is continuously evolving to give a better student experience every year. The chance to get involved is available to every student and is actively encouraged, and the staff are very enthusiastic. PASS is just one initiative that showcases how the Business School is enhancing the student experience.
Aside from the obvious academic benefits, I feel the First Years benefit from PASS as they have a greater bond with students within the group that they would not otherwise have interacted with so closely. Some of the students are noticeably more confident than at the beginning of the academic year, and I’d like to think presenting solutions to the rest of the PASS group has played a part in this. In addition, they gain valuable advice on the application process for internships and placements.
Skills I have gained from being a PASS Leader are team working skills, organisational skills, and better time management. Importantly, I feel more connected with the Business School as I am not limited to only having connections with my own year group. I also enjoy making a difference to the First Years and being able to inspire them to make a difference themselves.
Our PASS group consists of two PASS Leaders and ten First Year students who we act as mentors to. We try to come up with solutions to issues brought up e.g. who to go to for support in a particular area, how to use parts of the Portal, how best to structure study time, etc. Often other First Years will be the best placed to give advice to their peers and we make sure we facilitate this process, highlighting the positive impact of sharing knowledge. The session then moves on to more specific issues such as struggles with a particular seminar, and we split the group into smaller groups allowing them to discuss how to solve the problems.