Peer Mentors

The Peer Mentor Program, developed and run by BIS students, helps introduce and integrate new BIS students into the BIS community and the wider U.Va. community. The program provides support and information from a student perspective. Every new BIS student is assigned a peer mentor - someone the student can turn to for appropriate advice throughout the academic year. The Peer Mentor Program is not intended to take the place of the faculty advisor or the BIS staff. Instead, it is intended to offer a type of support for new students that can be most effectively provided by peers.

How the Program Works: Every new BIS student is assigned a Peer Mentor. The Steering Committee makes every effort to assign a Peer Mentor who shares the new student's concentration. This person will be the student's primary contact in the Peer Mentor Program.

Once the assignments are made and before classes begin, the Peer Mentor will contact the new student via email to introduce himself/herself and welcome the student to the BIS program. Peer Mentors often meet with students at the beginning of each semester and are available via email at other times.

Typically, the Peer Mentor/New Student relationship continues until the new student settles into the program, usually within the first or second semester.

Become a Mentor
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