Graduate Students Mentoring Undergraduates (GSMU) is a program designed to support undergraduate students’ paths through academic life. GSMU strives to:

• Collectively create and maintain a safe space for the cultivation of open, authentic, and honest relationships with GSMU community members
• Inform students’ pursuit of graduate studies by exposing them to and encouraging their exploration of different disciplines and post-baccalaureate journeys
• Encourage students to reflect on their undergraduate experiences thus far and consider how to shape future experiences in service of their pursuit of graduate studies

GSMU is a collaborative initiative between the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI) and Graduate School Office of Inclusion & Student Engagement (OISE), and serves students in the following programs:
 

• Pre Professional Programs (P3)
• OADI Research Scholars Program (ORSP)
• McNair Scholars Program
• New York State Opportunity Programs (NYSOP)

GSMU works to provide both structure and flexibility so that participants in the program can in engage in ways that they find meaningful. Typical programming for GSMU consists of monthly community events.

Small groups of undergraduate mentees are matched to a team of mentors. Teams have the opportunity to check-in with each other at each of the GSMU events, as well as get to know other mentors in the program. Mentees and mentors are also strongly encouraged to meet on their own either individually and/or as teams.

Undergraduate students in the following programs are invited to apply to GSMU:

• Pre Professional Programs (P3)
• OADI Research Scholars Program (ORSP)
• McNair Scholars Program
• New York State Opportunity Programs (NYSOP)

Application Opens: August 24, 2022

Application Closes: September 23, 2022

Check out the bios of our GSMU mentors. Even if you are not a participant in GSMU, mentors would be happy to connect!

Connect to a Mentor

In addition to supporting undergraduate students’ paths through academic life, GSMU aims to support graduate mentors in their own growth and development. In this vein, our objective is to support graduate mentors as they:

• Share and reflect on their experiences in order to validate mentees’ experiences, inform students and support their growth, and expand their horizons and perspectives on how to manage successes and challenges in their academic journeys
• Facilitate discussion and reflection
• Cultivate healthy and equitable relationships as mentors, colleagues, and educators

Eligible applicants must:

• be currently enrolled, full-time graduate students or postdoctoral fellows/associates at Cornell
• have completed at least one year in their current graduate degree program or postdoctoral position

Completed applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 PM EST on September 5, 2021 and consist of:

• Completed electronic application form
• Written personal statement
• Current resume/CV
   

Mentor Application Timeline:

Application Opens: July 19, 2022

Application Closes: August 25, 2022

Interview Period: August 29 - September 2, 2022

Notification Sent: September 2, 2021

Apply to be a Mentor 

Questions? Email oadimentors@cornell.edu.