Starting college is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Mentorship helps students navigate this transition by offering guidance, support, and advice on everything from academics to campus life. It helps students find their community, take advantage of opportunities, and build connections with other students, faculty, and staff who can support them throughout their college experience.

The University Mentorship Program connects first-year undergraduate students with upper-level student peer mentors who remember what it’s like to be new on campus and are ready to help them get settled. Peer mentors come from a variety of majors, backgrounds, interests, and identities. Faculty, staff, and graduate student mentors (FSGs) also share their time and expertise to help mentees adjust to life as U-M students.

How Mentorship Works

  • ​Once enrolled, first-year students must indicate interest through an application and be evaluated and, if selected, are matched over the summer with one peer mentor (a current U-M student).
  • This is a voluntary, selective program for first-year students entering the University of Michigan. That means students are not auto​matically part of the program upon admittance to the university but instead must indicate interest through an application process and will be evaluated for acceptance.
  • Mentorship staff contacts mentees on a rolling basis from July-August to confirm participation and inform them of upcoming events. Once matches are made, peer mentors will contact mentees over the summer as well.
  • The University Mentorship Program cycle occurs each year during the fall semester from September to December.
  • Mentorship groups are made up of seven to 11 mentees (first-year students) who share a peer mentor — you'll get to know other students with similar and different interests.
  • Mentees meet with their peer mentor monthly and attend group events together throughout the fall semester, providing regular opportunities for connection, guidance, and shared experiences.
  • Mentees can expect to incorporate mentorship into their normal student life —​ it's a program designed to make the transition into the University of Michigan easier by offering opportunities for resource sharing, community, and skill-building designed not to compete with other commitments.
  • Program participants also have access to a cohort of faculty, staff, and FSGs.
  • All accepted mentees are invited to meet their mentors and the other first-year students in their mentorship group at our biggest annual activity – Mentorship Kickoff, which takes place at the beginning of the semester.

Questions? Email [email protected], and we will do our best to answer them as soon as possible.