Peer Mentor Program

WISP's Peer Mentor Program (PMP) was founded in 1992 by two juniors looking to build a community of undergraduates in STEM. First-years are matched with sophomore, junior, and senior mentors who provide them with insider information, advice, and guidance about STEM at Dartmouth. Typically, two or three Peer Mentor Coordinators (juniors and seniors) manage the program with oversight from the WISP team.

Applications PMP mentors and mentees are now closed for 2024-25! Please check back in September 2025.

Participants are expected to attend a fall Kick-off Dinner, which includes a brief orientation and the opportunity for mentor pairs/groups to become acquainted. After that, mentors and mentees are expected to meet or touch base at least twice monthly - and you are certainly welcome to meet more often!

Additional networking, informational, and social activities happen during the year (usually 1 or 2 per term) that participants are encouraged but not required to attend. 

Are you a PMP mentor with an idea for an activity you would like to do with your mentee/s? WISP is now offering small grants to underwrite the cost of PMP programming as related to mentoring and/or STEM education. Some examples include:

• Taking your mentee/s to coffee
• Admission to the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT
• Pizza to accompany a viewing of Picture a Scientist, Not the Science Type, Hidden Figures, or similar

If you are interested in receiving a PMP grant, write to wisp@dartmouth.edu. Please be sure to include your requested budget and a brief description of how you propose to use the funding.

"I was amazed at how much our interests matched and how much really useful encouraging, comforting information she could give me."

"My mentor gave me a lot of advice on courses to take and when to take them–that was extremely helpful!"

"My mentor was great, we got along really well, and it was nice to have someone interested in the same things I am, talk about majors and classes and other fun stuff. I am glad I got to meet her - that was the most valuable aspect."