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Peer Mentor Program

Peer Mentors are upper division students (sophomore and above) who live on-campus in an LLC with whom they share a relevant academic, pre-professional, or interdisciplinary interest. Peer Mentors are role models who assist predominantly first-year students.  As a Peer Mentor, you are expected to become familiar with academic and co-curricular campus resources relevant to the mission of the LLC and assist students as they acclimate to their academic college at the University of Tennessee. Peer Mentors benefit from leadership experiences, serving as a role model on the floor. This program is managed by University Housing and is offered in partnership with selected academic colleges who sponsor a Living & Learning Community.

Our LLC Peer Mentors concentrate on the advancement of student success, relevant to their respective academic college. The student leaders in these roles meet with college-specific academic advisors, subject-specific librarians, and promote co-curricular engagement associated with the relevant academic interests and leadership opportunities. LLC students should reach out to their respective college-specific Peer Mentors for advice on communication with professors, availability of academic support services on campus, and/or insight on successful study habits.

Peer Mentor Expectations

  • Serve as an approachable and friendly role model to encourage civility, appreciation of academic success, and co-curricular involvement of students residing in the LLC.
  • Be invited to benefit from leadership development opportunities, and share in communicating observations about students in the community
  • Peer Mentors must never have received a sanction equal to or greater than Disciplinary Probation by the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards.
  • Peer Mentors must maintain a minimum 2.5 Cumulative GPA.

Application Process

University Housing staff and Program Liaisons will meet to select Peer Mentors based upon the applications received. Peer Mentors must reside in the LLC residence hall floor/hall where in which the LLC is located. Decisions will be announced via email to those selected.

Peer Mentor Scholarship

Peer Mentors who are part of the LLC Peer Mentor Partnership Program will receive a $1,000 scholarship for service during the course of the academic year ($500, if only serving one semester). Peer Mentors will be informed of useful techniques to facilitate small group discussions, stress reduction, academic support, academic policies relevant to their LLC, and communication skills which will develop their leadership skills and serve the greater good of their LLCs, cultivating an environment that advances student success.

Colleges for whose students are awarded a Peer Mentor Scholarship are offered the opportunity to create additional Peer Mentors through available college scholarship funds (“matching awards”).

Contact Information

If interested in learning more about the Peer Mentor Partnership Program, please contact us at housingllc@utk.edu or 865-974-1419.