The Power of Peers

Peer mentorship is a critical component of many IPSE programs. University students can support the social, academic, emotional and physical health, independent living, and employment growth and goals of IPSE students through mentorship. This chapter presents a brief review of the research on peer mentorship in IPSE programs and a detailed description of one program's model of peer mentorship across seven years or implementation. The description includes a budget, training, advising, and oversight structure, challenges and recommendations for strengthening current programming, and concludes with student perspectives on peer mentorship. This chapter can serve as a guide for how to create a peer mentorship program from the ground up and provide ideas for programs with a peer mentorship structure already in place.