New Student Peer Mentoring Programs

Welcome to Claremont McKenna College! As new students, you will have many questions about life on campus and within the 5Cs. We have a variety of resources here to help you, including many upperclass mentors who will be part of your time here. Here is a little information about some of the people you may meet.

CMC: First Year Guides are returning student volunteers who assist new students with their adjustment to college life (residential, social, and academic). First Year Guides will lead new students through all Orientation activities, including your WOA! trip, and serve as a resource throughout your first year. All new students will be contacted by their First Year Guide in August, so be on the lookout for an email to your CMC account! For more information, contact First Year Programs at (909) 621-8114 or FirstYearPrograms@cmc.edu.

CMC: 1Gen is dedicated to act as a support group and resource for first-generation students to help them prosper during their time at CMC and beyond. Since their founding in 2017, they have supported first-gen students through FOUR pillars: academic, professional, social, and mentorship. Various events and collaborations have allowed 1Gen members to interact with professors, staff, upperclassmen, alumni, and the Southern California community to better bridge the gap of knowledge and resources. For more information, visit the 1Gen Page.

CMC: Asian Pacific American Mentoring Program (APAM) is a CMC organization that provides a solid foundation of academic, social, emotional, and cultural support for first-year and transfer students of Asian descent. New students who self-identify as Asian/Asian American are placed in small mentor groups led by trained APAM mentors. For more information, email apamentors@gmail.com.

CMC: I-Connect are returning CMC international student volunteers who provide resources and support to new international students. Incoming international students are assigned an I-Connect Mentor who will help them transition to U.S. college life. For more information, visit the I-Connect Page.

5C: Chicano Latino Student Affairs (CLSA) Sponsors are returning students whose goal is to help the incoming class of Chicano/Latino students with the transition to college life. The Sponsor serves as a supportive resource person throughout the freshman year. For more information, visit the CLSA website or call (909) 621-8044.

5C: First Year Students at Hillel (FYSH) is an innovative program that provides compelling and engaging entry points to Jewish life for incoming freshman on the Claremont campuses. They provide a strong foundation of Jewish-identified engagement opportunities right out of the gates, building a basis for continuity and growth, and participation in our Hillel community. For more information, visit the Hillel website or call (909) 607-2906.

5C: IDEAS Mentor Program the mentoring counterpart of the student-run immigrant rights and educational organization, Improving Dreams Equality Access and Success (IDEAS) at The Claremont Colleges. Their mentors are DACA/undocumented current students whose aims to provide support and resources to incoming DACA/undocumented students with questions about navigating college (including study abroad!). IDEAS values your confidentiality and do not disclose the status of any of members of the undocumented community. For more information about the IDEAS Mentor Program, please contact daniel.caballero@pomona.edu.

5C: Indigenous Peer Mentoring Program (IPMP) is a 5C student-driven collective focused on the communal well-being and development of students identifying with an Indigenous community from across the world. First-year/transfer students who identify as American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or are from an international Indigenous community are placed in small community circles with other new students, which are then in turn led by current student mentors. IPMP serves to foster a stronger connection between Indigenous students while helping develop their respective academic, personal, and professional lives throughout their tenure at The Claremont Colleges. For more information, contact IPMP at ipmp.claremont@gmail.com.

5C: Queer, Questioning & Allied Mentor Program (QQAMP) mentors students from the five Claremont Colleges who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or allies of the queer community. Their role is to welcome you into the Claremont community and provide opportunities to become involved in the queer community through programming and developing personal relationships. For more information, visit the QRC website or call (909) 607-1817.

5C: The OBSA Mentorship Program is a community for first-year undergraduate students matched with upper-class students across the five undergraduate colleges. The program runs from fall through spring. Mentees are recruited from all five undergraduate colleges over the summer, selected and matched before classes begin. Mentorship offers an overnight retreat, mentor training and yearlong activities and events to assist in the first-year transition process. For more information, visit the OBSA website or call (909) 607-3669.