PEER MENTOR PROGRAM

Our Peer Mentor (PM) program is a leadership opportunity for undergraduates seeking to support the development of future researchers. The role comes with a $250 stipend. The true value of research is in the experience itself – from ideation to actualization – students gain crucial, transferable skills when in the drivers seat of a research endeavor. However, it’s often not until they’ve completed research that they are able to even begin reflecting on their own grit and resourcefulness.

PMs hold a unique position as they can leverage their own research experiences and insights to produce advantageous peer-to-peer connections with other students. This enables PMs to bolster their mentees’ self-efficacy (ie, their internal sense of “I can do it!”) from day one, so that they can start their research journey aware of their strengths and proud of their accomplishments.

Click the tabs below to learn about the different ways you can serve as a Peer Mentor and how to apply!

DEADLINES

The application for the Summer Peer Mentors will open in Winter Quarter 2025.

What Is It?

The Winter Bootcamps: SURG Proposal Writing are intensive, weekly-workshop series students in all disciplines who seek to apply to the Summer Undergraduate Research Grant. Each week of the bootcamp focuses on common obstacles related to developing a research project while simultaneously translating it into a grant proposal during the course of winter quarter. There are two separate bootcamps: lab-based and non-lab based. PMs will be assigned to the bootcamp that aligns with their research discipline and given a cohort of approximately 6 students. PM responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Attend and watch the training(s), this includes the weekend retreat on Sunday, November 17th (10am-2pm CST).
  • Attend and assist facilitating corresponding bootcamp workshops
  • Support assigned mentees as they navigate research, including have individual check-ins with each of them
  • Complete provided spreadsheets to keep track of my mentees’ progress throughout the bootcamp

When Is It?

Project-Based PMs MUST be available for the following:

  • IN PERSON on Thursdays, from 4:00-6pm CST (This accommodates a 30 minute check-in meeting and the 90-minute workshop)
  • From January 16th – March 13th (9 total sessions)

Lab-Based PMs MUST be available for the following:

  • IN PERSON on Tuesdays, from 4:00-6pm CST (This accommodates a 30 minute check-in meeting and the 90-minute workshop)
  • From January 7th – March 11th (9 total sessions)*

*Note: The lab-based bootcamp is shorter to accommodate students still trying to find labs during January; its only 5 sessions long. As a result, lab-based bootcamp PMs will also facilitate the winter quarter Finding a Lab Support Group (FaLSG). This will take place on the same day for a shorter time – only 4:30-5:30pm CST – for four sessions (Jan. 7th – 28th). FaLSG serves as a pipeline program, with students who have been able to procure a lab eligible for registration in the lab-based bootcamp which formally begins on February 11th.

 

What Is It?

Each year nearly 200 grant awardees are doing a Summer Undergraduate Research Grant (SURG) for the first time. PMs will be given a cohort of approximately 10 recipients who share research areas and will mentor them over the entire summer. In this program, PMs are expected to provide their mentees accountability and research strategies as they act as an intermediary between student and Office of Undergraduate Research. Depending on the PM’s bandwidth, there is also the opportunity to emphasize community amongst their cohort. PM responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Attend and watch the training(s) offered in spring and summer, this includes the weekend retreat
  • Facilitate a 90-minute mentee bonding session in May to promote the development of their research community
  • Register for and attend at least 2 Summer Skills Workshops (90-minutes long | Dates TBD)
  • Support mentees with THREE (3) 1-on-1 check-ins throughout the summer
  • Complete provided spreadsheets to keep track of my mentees’ progress throughout the bootcamp

When Is It?

Summer Research PMs responsibilities begin in Spring Quarter (April) and extends until their final mentees has completed their research experience which could be in late summer. While mentees can have their own individual summer plans (and even be out of the country), they must be on-campus during Spring quarter. Additionally, PMs MUST be available for BOTH of the following training retreat dates:

  • Both retreat dates will be in April 2025. Official dates and times are TBA.

Winter Bootcamp PMs must have successfully been awarded and completed at least one Summer Undergraduate Research Grant, at minimum. Priority will also be given to applicants who have participated in past bootcamps (previously named AHSS and SRW). Applicants must be sophomores, juniors, and senior undergraduate students. For 2024-25, an estimated 6 PMs will be recruited. 

Summer Research PMs must have successfully been awarded and completed at least one Summer Undergraduate Research Grant. Students who have only received an Academic Year Undergraduate Research Grant are not eligible. Applicants must be sophomore and junior undergraduate students. Seniors are eligible if they will still be enrolled in courses the fall quarter after summer. For 2024-25, an estimated 31 PMs will be recruited.

The Winter Bootcamp Peer Mentor application is on the Student Opportunities Application Platform (SOAP), It consists of FIVE (5) short answer questions which are 250-500 words each. The questions are below:

  1. Why do you want to dedicate time to being a Peer Mentor this academic year?
  2. What challenges did you face as you search for (or created) an independent research opportunity? How did you overcome them? Alternatively – if you did not overcome them – how do you aim to tackle such challenges in the future?
  3. How did you approach the grant writing and revisions process? What resources did you use (or wished you had used)?
  4. What misconceptions do you believe students have about developing an independent research project? How does this inform your approach towards Peer Mentorship?
  5. Please describe your potential plans for winter quarter, focusing on other commitments on your time (optional)?

There will also be Roleplay Activity. You will be given a short roleplay email (from a fictional mentee) to read, and this email will involve field specific and realistic research issues. You must then record a video response that addresses the mentees’ concerns to the best of your availability. The video should be no more than 8 minutes long.

After submitting your application, you may be contacted for a short follow-up interview. If contacted, the interview will be 30 minutes. There will be no formal dress code.

The Summer Research Peer Mentor application is on the Student Opportunities Application Platform (SOAP), It consists of FIVE (5) short answer questions which are 250-500 words each. The questions are below:

  1. Why do you want to dedicate time to being a Peer Mentor this summer?
  2. What challenges did you face when you first conducted independent research? How did you overcome them? Alternatively – if you did not overcome them – how do you aim to tackle such challenges in the future?
  3. Where do you feel like you excelled in your research experience?
  4. What misconceptions do you believe students have about pursuing independent research? How does this inform your approach towards Peer Mentorship?
  5. Please describe your potential plans this upcoming summer, including location (optional)?

There will also be Roleplay Activity. You will be given a short roleplay email (from a fictional mentee) to read, and this email will involve field specific and realistic research issues. You must then record a video response that addresses the mentees’ concerns to the best of your availability. The video should be no more than 8 minutes long.

After submitting your application, you may be contacted for a short follow-up interview. If contacted, the interview will be 30 minutes. There will be no formal dress code.

I’ve been a Peer Mentor before – what changes can I anticipate this year?

Peer Mentors familiar with SRW and AHSS will see that those winter series have been re-envisioned as the Winter Bootcamps, with the lab-based bootcamp having the most differences in terms of amount of sessions. Additionally, all Peer Mentor applications have been formalized on the SOAP platform.

Can I be a Peer Mentor as an international student?

Yes, international students who fit the eligibility and availability criteria can serve as Peer Mentors. International students without a U.S. issued taxpayer identification number (ITIN or SSN) will have 14% federal taxes come from their payments; also, any students with a U.S. issued taxpayer identification number ​whose country does not have a U.S. tax treaty or are not eligible for the tax treaty will automatically have 14% federal taxes taken out of their grant.

 

APPLY HERE!