PMs Inside

Peer Mentor Program

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Peer Mentor (PM) Program is a year-long program that pairs incoming students with undergraduate students with prior research experience.

The program has dual goals and emphases using a symbiotic, peer-to-peer relationship model:

  1. Mentors help mentees, new students, learn UNLV’s research ecosystem and OUR’s programs, events, and resources during the first weeks, months, and throughout the most difficult first year, or two. The goal is to guide new students and support their personal and professional growth and development which helps anchoring new students to the university more firmly.
  2. Mentors gain leadership skills by serving as mentors and role models.

Eligibility, Application Process, and Requirements

Currently enrolled UNLV undergraduate students with a declared major and preferably previous research experiences are eligible for consideration.

We encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups, such as Alaska Natives, Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Middle Eastern individuals, international students, LGBTQIA+ students, persons with disabilities, students from low-income families, first-generation college students, and non-traditional students..

OUR Peer Mentors will be paid a salary of $12/hour.

Students are required to submit the following as part of their application package:

  1. One-page personal statement describing your interest in (and expectations from) the program, general research interests, career aspirations and goals, and why you are applying. For instructions, please peruse OUR’s one-page personal statement sample.
  2. Curriculum Vitae (CV). For instructions, please view the following samples:

PMs are expected to meet the requirements listed below:

  1. Obtain OUR’s Research Advising training
  2. Hold bi-weekly advising meetings with assigned undergraduate mentees
  3. Collaborate with UNLV’s First Year Experience Peer Mentoring program
  4. PMs are expected to participate in research-related events (e.g., symposia and outreach events, etc.) as OUR ambassadors to promote undergraduate research across campus.

Participants are expected to submit proof of the following upon completion of all program requirements:

  1. Research-related event completion
  2. In-class marketing campaigns
  3. Symposium volunteering and presentation
  4. Office hours