Supporting student success

Now entering its sixth year, the Faculty of Arts and Science Grad Mentor program is a peer mentoring program that connects prospective students with current MA and PhD students to aid them in their decision-making process.  

“The mentor program allows prospective students to ask their peers specific questions about the program that they are interested in attending,” says Graduate Mentor Coordinator Julia Mcdonell. “Being able to talk to a student is a great opportunity to learn what a program is really like – beyond just what courses you might be taking. Being able to get that insider knowledge of the graduate programs allows prospective students to make a much more informed decision on if graduate school is right for them. Having that one-on-one conversation can help a student decide what graduate program they are interested in, and they can get specific advice on the application process from someone who just went through it.

Dan Reddy, PhD candidate, Department of Chemistry, is entering his second year as a mentor. He jumped at the opportunity to become a mentor again after a successful first year of meeting students interested in studying chemistry and integrating himself into the graduate mentor community.

“Two successes that I can highlight include: I had one particularly dedicated mentee who asked a lot of questions about graduate school, and even though they did not (immediately) pursue grad school after our interactions, they told me that the info was very helpful and that they appreciated being able to directly talk to someone who is currently in graduate school,” Reddy says.

“Secondly, through the mentor program, I connected with a second-year undergraduate chemistry student who was considering grad school in the future and wanted to get a head start on being involved with graduate students and the graduate community at large. In turn, I was able to involve this mentee in a chemistry-centric student group that I presently lead, and this mentee was able to further connect with grad students, as well as learn about and directly impact the graduate student experience while still an undergrad.”

Pungavi Linghan, a Masters student in Classics and Archaeology, joined the mentor program for the first time this year.

“This is something I’ve been a big believer in since my first year of undergraduate studies at Queen’s,” she explains. “It’s about the student experience – helping them feel more included, making them feel safe and comfortable at Queen’s. I came in feeling very alone, the online environment did not help with that. Instead of feeling bad for myself, I dedicated myself to getting involved and creating safe spaces for students just like me.”

Linghan believes that prospective students who are perhaps nervous about choosing Queen’s (or starting their education at Queen’s), would benefit from meeting a mentor who is available for any questions they might have, and to help them feel welcome at Queen’s.

“I’ve been enjoying studying at Queen’s so much that I stayed on for my masters, it’s my fifth year here. I want to show them how wonderful this community can be.”

Learn more about the program on the Student Mentor webpage.