Student Success Center peer mentors and students

What is Peer Mentoring?

Peer mentors are there for support during your transition to life at UWM. They’ve gone through special training with the goal of helping you — whether it’s assistance in developing academic and personal skills, figuring out how to access useful campus resources or just being there to listen while you work through a problem. As a first-year student, you’ve already been assigned a peer mentor, so don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule an appointment through Navigate360.

“My Mentor is…”

  • someone that I could go to for help or to gain clarity on things
  • very comfortable to talk with 
  • a peer who knows campus well 
  • someone I can go to with any questions or to just figure college life out

Students learned from their Peer Mentor that:

  • Getting a tutor is ok!
  • There’s a lot of campus resources I’m not aware of.
  • How to apply for scholarships.
  • How to cope when things stress you out and how have a good time management plan.
  • Prioritizing a good school – life balance is important.
  • Ways to improve my campus life, like transportation services.

Learn More About Peer Mentoring

Meet our Peer Mentors

Lucia Arellano
Peer Mentor

Ashe Barbian
STEM Transfer Peer Mentor

Joseph Bakalars
Peer Mentor

Natalie Berry
Peer Mentor

Ellyn Blakeman
Peer Mentor

Randall Borkhuis
Peer Mentor

Olivia Cieslak
Peer Mentor

Constance Clark-Bailey
FFWS Peer Mentor

Lauren Cross
Peer Mentor

Sara Dharani
Program Assistant

Liv Dizon
Peer Mentor

Maddie Dumproff
Peer Mentor

George Eastman-Kiesow
Peer Mentor

Peyton Froberg
Peer Mentor

Lena Harms
Peer Mentor

Violet Harrison
Peer Mentor

Dalina Jonuzi
Student Athlete
Peer Mentor

Manroop Kaur
Peer Mentor

Mariah Kiefer
Peer Mentor

Rowan Krenz
Peer Mentor

Nye Kovaleski
Peer Mentor

Lindsey Livingston
FFWS
Peer Mentor

Trista Marzofka
Peer Mentor

Julianna Miller
Peer Mentor

Ang Nehmer
Peer Mentor

Alex Ng’ang’a
Peer Mentor

Bijay Panta
Comp Sci Peer Mentor

Isabel Roloff
Student Athlete Peer Mentor

Anna Reihl
Peer Mentor

Kevin Santamaria
Comp Sci Peer Mentor

Pranav Saravanan
Peer Mentor

Brooke Schmidt
Program Assistant

Jessica Schueller
Program Assistant

Mackenzie Schumann
Peer Mentor

Jazmine Scruggs
Peer Mentor

Lainie Slipper
Peer Mentor

Kayla Solomon
Peer Mentor

Maren Tetting
Peer Mentor

Olivia Van Zeeland
Student Athlete Peer Mentor

Ellie Voge
Peer Mentor

Claudia York
Peer Mentor

What Our Students Say

My mentor was super nice and helpful. They had answers for all my questions and just seemed super excited to be meeting with me.


First-Year StudentSpring 2024

We talked about how to study better and different jobs in the area that might appeal to me.


First-Year StudentSpring 2024

There are so many people who want to see me do well at UWM, and that was shown in how my mentor cared for me.


First-Year StudentSpring 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Peer Mentoring program?

The Peer Mentoring program, ran through the Student Success Center in Bolton 120, is a chance for students to assist students. Peer Mentors serve as upperclassmen students who can help first-year students academically and socially succeed at UWM. Students who participate in the Peer Mentoring program are linked with higher rates of success during their college years.

Who is the Peer Mentoring program for?

The Peer Mentoring program is for first-time UWM students, whether it is your first semester of higher education or you have transferred from a different university.

When will I hear from my Peer Mentor?

Peer Mentors complete several facets of outreaches to engage with their students. At the beginning of the semester, you will receive a personalized Welcome to UWM email from your mentor along with instructions on how to schedule an appointment to meet up.

Peer Mentors will then continue to reach out to their students via email, phone call, or text message throughout your first year of study.

Why should I go to Peer Mentoring?

Peer Mentors at UWM can help with your transition into college and in Milwaukee.

Using the support systems offered to you as a student can improve your experience and your ability to succeed academically and socially at UWM. The Student Success Center offers many resources to help you in this transition, including the peer mentoring program.

How can I schedule an appointment with my Peer Mentor?

To schedule an appointment with your Peer Mentor, please visit Navigate360. Login with your UWM Credentials and select ‘Schedule an Appointment” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

If you experience any issues, please contact your Peer Mentor via email or text, or stop by the Student Success Center and a staff member can further assist you.

What does my Peer Mentor expect from me?

Prepare for your meeting with potential questions you may have about UWM, courses, and campus life in general. Peer Mentors expect students to be engaged, preparing to understand more about UWM and how they can succeed in their time at university.  

When should I see my Peer Mentor?

Every first-year student at UWM is assigned a Peer Mentor. The Peer Mentor staff is required to meet with each of their students at least once a semester, but students can choose to meet with their Peer Mentor as often as they’d like.

You should see your Peer Mentor each semester of your first year at UWM. They are a resource provided for first-year students to foster academic and social success in higher education.

What can I expect from my Peer Mentor?

Advocacy, empathy, respect, and investment in your academic and personal success.

Peer Mentors are trained to see solutions and opportunities in providing resources and helping you pinpoint academic and social goals in your first year as a student to streamline success.

How are Peer Mentors assigned?

Peer Mentors are assigned to students based on your academic field of study.

If you are an intended Nursing student, you will most likely be paired with a mentor in the Nursing program.

Undecided majors are given to Peer Mentors who can help assist in exploring academic fields of study that you may be interested in.

If you are paired with a Peer Mentor who is not in your program of study, this can happen due to the representation of programs at UWM, we will pair you as similar to your academic field as possible.