Graduate Peer Mentor Program

Graduate Peer Mentor Program

The Graduate Peer Mentor Program is a School of Graduate Studies initiative that strengthens graduate student experience through peer‑based mentoring, facilitation, and resource connection. The program also provides graduate students in mentoring, oversight, and outreach roles with structured professional development, leadership experience, and transferable employment skills.

Program Goals

The Graduate Peer Mentor Program aims to: 

  • Support graduate student well-being and success 
  • Normalize challenges across the graduate journey 
  • Increase awareness and use of SGS supports 
  • Foster belonging and connection across graduate programs 
  • Develop graduate students as ethical, inclusive peer leaders 
  • Create sustainable, student‑led support infrastructure 

Who the Program Serves

  • All graduate students are welcome to access peer mentoring services 

  • Graduate Peer Mentor, Oversight GA, and Outreach GA roles are available to graduate students through a competitive selection process 

Roles are designed to reflect a range of disciplines, lived experiences, and stages of graduate study. 

Program Structure

The Graduate Peer Mentor Program is a self‑supporting graduate program with distinct but collaborative roles. Together, these roles ensure the program remains responsive, ethical, and sustainable.

Graduate Peer Mentors

  • Provide one-to-one and group peer mentoring
  • Normalize graduate experiences and transitions 
  • Support reflection, goal‑setting, and navigation 
  • Connect students to SGS and campus resources 
  • Work within clearly defined boundaries and referral pathways 
     

Oversight Graduate Assistant

  • Coordinates and supports the overall program 
  • Ensures ethical practice, consistency, and quality 
  • Supports training, reflection, and professional development 
  • Acts as a point of accountability and escalation when needed 

Outreach Graduate Assistant (GA)

  • Strengthens visibility and awareness of the program 
  • Supports communication, promotion, and engagement 
  • Helps connect graduate students to mentoring opportunities 
  • Builds relationships between SGS initiatives and the graduate community 

Professional Development

Training and Professional Development

All Graduate Peer Mentors and GAs engage in ongoing training and reflective practice, including:

  • Role clarity and professionalism
  • Ethics, boundaries, and referral
  • Inclusive communication and facilitation
  • Navigating complex or ambiguous student situations
  • Program evaluation and continuous improvement
  • Career articulation and transferable skill development

Training emphasizes judgment, responsibility, and collaboration, rather than advice‑giving or problem‑solving. 

Career-Relevant Experience

Participation in the Graduate Peer Mentor Program supports development in nationally recognized skill areas, including: 

  • Professional communication
  • Leadership and teamwork
  • Equity, diversity, and inclusion
  • Teaching and mentorship
  • Project and program coordination

The program is intentionally framed as paid, professional graduate experience, not volunteer service. 

Meet the Graduate Peer Mentors

This link provides information about the Graduate Peer Mentors & Graduate Peer Mentor Support.

Meet the Graduate Peer Mentors