This academic year marked the exciting launch of Mustang Mentors, a peer mentorship program designed to support first-year, second-year, and transfer students as they transition to the Hilltop. The program’s core goals are to recruit, engage, and retain students by fostering meaningful connections at the university.
In its inaugural year, Mustang Mentors matched 92 students, pairing mentees with peer mentors based on shared academic interest, professional goals and hobbies.
With over 351 conversations logged, mentors provided guidance on everything from course selections to involvement in student clubs to career planning. One sophomore mentor reflected on how participating in Mustang Mentors has positively impacted her connection to SMU, saying, “It has helped me feel more connected not only with my peers in Mustang Mentors, but also with communities outside of this program. I feel like it has inspired me to be more involved on campus.”
Mentees too benefitted academically and personally from their mentorship. One student shared, “I was confused about how to know what route I should take within the CCPA field, and [my mentor] has given me some guidance on how to know where I should go by exploring more in depth of each aspect and what I feel most interested in.”
Moving into the second year of the program, Mustang Mentors plans to deepen its impact:
- Re-engaging current cohort members as returning mentors.
- Expanding partnerships with departments like English, Film, History, and PREP.
- Creating a Mustang Mentors Student Ambassador as a third tier of leadership.
- Recruitment of incoming first-year and transfer students.
A special thank you to all faculty and staff who have played an essential role in program recruitment. We thank you for supporting this work and championing the program.
Know of a student that would serve as a great peer mentor? Email us at mustangmentors@smu.edu to recommend them!