What is the Queer Mentorship Program?
The Queer Mentorship Program (QMP) is designed to connect queer and trans students from Syracuse University and ESF to one another, as well as with queer and trans faculty, staff and local Syracuse residents to create a holistic community full of diverse voices and perspectives.
Who can join the program?
Any queer or trans undergraduate student, graduate student, staff member, or faculty member at Syracuse University or ESF, as well as queer and trans local community members are welcome and encouraged to apply!
How does the program work?
Instead of the traditional mentor-mentee pairing utilized by many other mentorship programs, the QMP utilizes a “family” style mentorship model, matching participants up with as many as 5 other people to create a greater support system for everyone, made up of all the different folks mentioned above. Through a short intake survey, we gather some information on all interested participants to help us create families, otherwise known as “houses”, mindfully selected to be able to best fit the wants and needs of every participant!
What are the program requirements?
We ask that every family get together twice a month with one another to chat, eat, watch a movie, hangout- whatever you’d like to do! On the weeks that there is no get-together, we encourage check-ins with one another. Twice every semester, all of the houses will meet up for a “family reunion”, orchestrated by the Resource Center, to allow all participants in the program the ability to connect and get to know one another. Each house will also pick a designated “Head of Household”, who will be the connection from each house to the Resource Center- they will be responsible for telling us about family hangouts and keeping us in the loop. Additionally, all program participants are required to attend at least one LGBTQ Resource Center event per semester. These are the minimum expectations that we hold for participants, but we encourage each house to get together as much as they would like!
How do I get involved?
If you are interested in being part of the QMP, please email Sarah Wood, our graduate assistant, at swood06@syr.edu. She will further assist you with the intake survey and answer any outstanding questions you may have!