University at Buffalo (UB)
Where students with enormous potential achieve exceptional success.
CULTURE's Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program is an opportunity for students to connect with a community of peers.
CULTURE's Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program is an opportunity for first-year and continuing students of color, or those who identify as underserved and underrepresented, to be plugged into a community of peers.
Our peer mentors are trained, experienced upper-level students who will guide you through resources and opportunities at the University at Buffalo. Peer mentors share the conviction that participating in CULTURE's intentionally designed programming will enrich your college experience and help you foster a connection to the UB community.
Through P2P Mentoring, you will be empowered to:
- Make contact with people who are committed to your success.
- Build a sense of community with your peers inside and outside the classroom.
- Utilize the available resources on and off campus.
- Discuss concerns and challenges you may experience in connecting with the UB community.
- Build networks with other students, staff and faculty across campus.
- Gain insights needed to achieve personal and academic goals.
Guidelines for Mentors
Welcome to the CULTURE Peer Mentoring Program. We hope that you'll find your mentoring experience to be rewarding and enjoyable. Below are some guidelines to assist you in approaching the mentoring relationship with your assigned student.
Peer mentors serve as role models who demonstrate the value of fostering interconnected relationships and support their mentees toward increased engagement and participation in the university community. While establishing reciprocal and dynamic relationships with their mentees, peer mentors exemplify academic integrity, responsible decision-making, and a vested interest in UB and student success. Mentors will serve as a buddy, coach and advocate for their mentee(s).
Your mentee’s name and contact information will be provided to you before the second week of the semester. We encourage you to contact your mentee right away to introduce yourself and to schedule a first meeting. You and your mentee are responsible for establishing goals for your individual mentoring relationship, working toward them, and evaluating your collective efforts. If your mentee does not respond to you, please contact the program staff.
The quality of the mentoring relationship is the key to a successful mentoring relationship, not the quantity of meetings or contact you have with your assigned mentees. However, we ask that you meet or talk with your mentee multiple times during the fall and spring semesters to establish a working relationship. Your academic success is paramount, and your mentees have been instructed to respect your time and availability boundaries. We sincerely hope that you will make yourself available as needed. Your mentee should be able to contact you easily, and you should be able to respond in a timely fashion. Your mentees have been informed that a component of professionalism is respect for the time of others. Hence, it will be up to you as the mentor to identify excessive or unreasonable demands. Please reach out to the program staff for any questions or concerns.
- The role of the mentor is multifaceted. We hope that you are able to share your experiences, as well as resources that will enable your mentee to be successful. Examples of appropriate topics of discussion and discourse include, but are not limited to, navigating college, time and task management, completing assignments, library resources, selecting classes, etc.
- You are encouraged to meet your mentee in the most appropriate format (formal/informal) for coffee or a meal in public spaces or anywhere else that is mutually convenient. (Please remember that the program does not have funds to reimburse mentors or mentees for mileage, meals, or other costs.) Mentors may inform students of conferences, workshops, public meetings and any related event a mentee may attend.
- We hope you can assist your mentee in developing strategic alliances within the UB community and introduce them to other support services that may be a resource for the student.
- Due to the nature of the relationship, discussions between you and your assigned student are confidential. But notify the program staff if there are concerns.