Program Goals
The Graduate Student Peer Mentorship Program aims to create a safe space for incoming graduate students, as well as returning graduate students, who need space to connect with experienced graduate peers. Graduate student mentors can offer tips and strategies to better navigate and understand program requirements in their own division and/or programs, as well as general expectations of graduate student life at UCSC. Peer mentoring can also focus on knowledge outside traditional grad program curricula, such as how to utilize grad-specific campus resources, how to connect with other students from similar identity-based affinity groups, and how to navigate advisor relationships.
Our goal is to support existing departmental peer mentor programs, as well as support the launch of new programs across campus. These programs should be led by graduate students, with support from faculty and staff.
If you are a graduate student with great ideas for establishing a peer mentorship program in your department OR you are already part of a peer mentor program, please consider applying!
How It Works
The Graduate Division and the Graduate Student Commons are pleased to announce a new call for funding proposals. The Graduate Division has designated $25k for academic year 2024-25 to support both existing departmental peer mentoring programs and to offer support for departments to launch new department/divisional peer mentoring programs that support graduate students. Up to $5k is available for each academic division.
Building on the GSC Graduate Student Peer Mentorship Program’s (PMP) pilot year in 2022-23, the PMP will now act as a “hub” to help launch and/or support existing departmental PMPs across 5 academic divisions. GSC Lead Mentors will act as divisional liaisons to advertise and support the review of funding applications, provide consultations with graduate students who are interested in launching new programs, and offer centralized peer mentor workshops for all peer mentor programs.
