Sometimes the best guidance through college doesn’t come from a family member or professor, but rather from a peer who has had similar experiences to you. But how do you meet people who share your major and interests? Enter the Women’s Resource Center Mentorship Program (WRCMP).

“I really loved the mentorship programs I participated in during my undergraduate career, so I thought there was a really great opportunity here to create one specifically tailored toward women in the WRC,” said Emily Pollard, a first-year graduate student at the U and graduate assistant at the Women’s Resource Center. “It’s a great way to connect people from across campus who may not have crossed paths otherwise.”

The WRCMP will connect mentees who are transfer students, freshmen or sophomores at the U with mentors who are upperclassmen or graduate students. The semester-long program is designed to provide an engaging leadership experience and improve college student belonging.

“We are really focusing first on developing mentorship skills so that our mentors are equipped with all the resources they need,” said Pollard. “There will be a monthly mentor development series which we hope allows mentors to walk away with some leadership experience in this area.”

Mentors and mentees will then work together to create a learning plan specific to the mentee’s goals.

“I think women especially can really benefit from hearing what they are doing well and what skills they have,” said Kirstin Maanum, associate director of the WRC. “A mentor can be a great mirror and provide affirmation that I think men tend to get a lot more. We want to create a space where people can have that one-on-one experience with somebody who sees them and helps them grow.”

While women are the focus of this mentorship program, it is open to people of all genders. WRC leaders hope participants complete the program with a support network and the resources needed to get the most value of their experience at the U. In addition, qualifying mentors will receive a $100 stipend for their participation.

Applications for the first WRCMP cohort are due Jan. 16, 2022, at 5 p.m. The WRC team will review applications and begin matching pairs with similar majors, career fields and interests beginning the week of Jan. 17, 2022.

Learn more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here.