Biochemistry majors are encouraged to join our Peer Mentor Program. This program is designed to help students feel confident, supported, and engaged in their major from the very beginning through tailored peer mentoring training, resources, and engagement. Students must declare a Biochemistry undergraduate major to participate.
Each Fall and Spring semester, the program pairs first-year and second-year Biochemistry majors (mentees) with peer mentors (Biochemistry majors who have already completed their first and second year at UW–Madison). Mentors and mentees are matched based on shared interests and campus involvement, helping to build meaningful connections that support academic success, personal growth, and community.
Program Requirements
Participation in the Peer Mentor Program is a semester-long commitment with an average of 15 hours of work over the course of the semester.
This program is supported by a professional staff advisor in the Biochemistry/Microbiology Undergraduate Advising Hub. However, much of the time commitment to this program, including scheduling one-on-one meet-ups, is directed by paired student mentors and mentees.
Program requirements include:
- Skill Development and Initiative. This program requires participants to demonstrate independence, collaboration, flexibility, and a willingness to take initiative throughout the semester.
- Canvas Course Completion. All participating mentors and mentees will receive access to a Canvas course. Mentors and mentees must each complete two orientation acknowledgement checks and four meeting recap assignments.
- Monthly Meetings with Your Match. Mentors and mentees must meet a minimum of four times during the semester. Fall semester mentors and mentees will meet once per month during the Fall semester (September, October, November, December), and Spring semester mentors and mentees will meet once per month during the Spring semester (February, March, April, May).
- One-Semester Time Commitment. The program duration is one semester and demands an average of 15 hours of work overall.
Eligibility and Registration
Eligibility requirements for mentees and mentors are below. If you have already participated and wish to sign up again, you must re-apply each semester you wish to participate. All mentees who apply are paired with a mentor in their major! The number of mentors accepted is based on the number of mentees each semester.
Links to the Peer Mentor application are sent directly to your wisc.edu email from your assigned academic advisor at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester. Please reach out to your Biochemistry academic advisor with questions.
- Fall applications open in early September and close in mid-September.
- Spring applications open in late January and close in early February.
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Mentee Qualifications
To participate in the Peer Mentor Program as a mentee, you must be:
- An undergraduate student at UW–Madison in your first or second year of study
- Declared major in Biochemistry
- On campus or in Madison during the semester you participate
Mentor Qualifications
To participate in the Peer Mentor Program as a mentor, you must be:
- An undergraduate student at UW–Madison who has completed your first year of study
- Declared major in Biochemistry
- On campus or in Madison during the semester you participate
- In Good Academic Standing. (If you are not sure if you are in Good Academic Standing, please reach out to your Biochemistry academic advisor.)