Why should I be a peer mentor?

While peer mentoring has clear benefits for the mentee, the mentor can also benefit from the mentoring relationship. Here are some ways you can benefit from being a peer mentor:

• Peer mentors increase their own social and professional networks.
• Peer mentors increase their opportunities to collaborate with new students and with faculty who support the peer mentoring program.
• Peer mentors gain some important professional development opportunities as they attend meetings or workshops with their mentees.
• Peer mentors get the opportunity to develop mentoring skills that are essential in both academic and other careers.
• Experience as a peer mentor demonstrates leadership and departmental citizenship qualities to future employers. If you plan to go into academia, mentoring is likely to be a major component of your professional activities, and experience with peer mentoring shows that you have some knowledge about how to guide the academic and professional development of others.