Become a Mentor
The Mentor Application for 2024-25 will open in Fall 2023
Becoming an IPMP mentor is a growing experience that will help you develop your leadership, professional, intercultural communication skills. Being an IPMP mentor is a great way to build your resume and demonstrate your maturity, excellence, and abilities to future employers. We encourage you to consider making it a part of your story!
IPMP mentor selection is a competitive process. Mentors are selected each year to serve for one academic year. Please find the eligibility requirements and application process below.
Follow IPMP on social media through IPMP Facebook and Instagram @IUPUIglobal accounts!
IPMP Mission
We aim to guide the successful social, cultural, and academic adjustment of IUPUI students from all over the world. IPMP equips international students with the knowledge, support system, and tools to prosper at IUPUI and in the US.
The IPMP team accomplishes this mission through pre-arrival assistance, one on one mentoring, social opportunities, and cultural programming.
The Mentor Role
IPMP mentors engage in the following:
- Collaborate with a 3-member team to provide direct peer mentoring to international students
- Plan and facilitate intercultural events with co-mentors
- Participate in Weekly Mentoring Skills Training
- Undergraduate Mentors: Enroll in a 1-credit University College mentoring course to improve mentoring skills (Courses are tuition-free)
- Graduate Mentors: Meet with IPMP staff to improve mentoring skills (time selected determined by current graduate mentors' availability)
- Participate in Weekly Holistic Skills Training
- All mentors: Attend weekly meetings and monthly Socials on Friday afternoons, 2:30–4:00pm for team building and intercultural learning
- Engage with the Office of International Affairs in various Service Learning Areas
Service Learning Area
International Welcome Assistants will often be the first IUPUI students that new incoming international students meet! They communicate with students while abroad and assist them upon arrival.
- Responsibilities:
- Provide support and a welcoming presence at the IND airport
- Assist with move-in (when appropriate)
- Resolve general issues with getting settled
- Answer general pre-arrival questions
- Encourage students to choose IUPUI
International Orientation Assistants will provide assistance before and during the International Welcome Week for both the Fall and Spring semesters.
- Responsibilities:
- Lead Socials and workshops
- Coordinate the Orientation dinner for new international students
- Serve as a resource for students, friends, and families during Orientation
- Participate in and assist with the presentation of workshops
- Assist with logistics
- Help supervise and train Orientation volunteers
Marketing Assistants are pivotal to the promotion and recruitment process of IPMP.
- Responsibilities:
- Advise on the marketing and promotional strategy for the IPMP
- Develop marketing to promote IPMP
- Staff promotion tables
- Create the IPMP newsletter in Salesforce software and distribute it monthly
- Lead the posting of promotional and informational content on the OIA Instagram and IPMP Facebook
- Responsibilities:
Mentor Leadership Scholarship Eligibility
IPMP is a university funded leadership scholarship. To qualify to become an IPMP mentor you must:
- Be a student at IUPUI throughout the year during which you will serve as a mentor.
- Must have successfully completed at least one year of full-time enrollment at IUPUI prior to the start of the year you will serve as a mentor. (Full-time enrollment is considered 12 credit hours per semester for undergraduate students and 8 credit hours per semester for graduate students.)
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.800 or higher.
- Must be in good standing with the university and have no record of disciplinary action.
Availability Needs
- Summer: After May Training, mentors will begin duties during the summer. Mentors must be accessible throughout the summer but not necessary to be present in Indianapolis. Mentors must be back in Indianapolis for the Bradford Woods training.
- Fall Semester: Mentors must be present in Indianapolis for the month of August and accessible throughout the Fall semester.
- Spring Semester: If chosen to renew for the Spring semester, must also be present in Indianapolis during the month of January and accessible throughout Spring semester.
- Must be available to attend all trainings:
- One week on-campus training in May
- 3-day overnight training at Bradford Woods during late July
- Weekly on-campus Friday Meetings from 2:30 - 4 pm beginning in August
Skills and Abilities of Great Mentors
- Possess positive communication and teamwork skills.
- Demonstrate reliability and have strong personal initiative.
- Interact effectively and patiently with people from diverse cultures with varying levels of English proficiency.
- Have a strong desire to impact the international student experience.
Application Instructions
Becoming a mentor involves four simple steps:
- Read the application instructions carefully, especially the Service Learning Areas descriptions. These are in the above drop-down menu.
- Submit your International Peer Mentor Application which includes:
- Online mentor application
- Resume (should provide information about your past volunteer services, leadership experiences, scholarships, and awards)
- A 2-3 paged, double-spaced (12 pt font) statement of purpose, making sure to include the following information:
- Why are you applying to IPMP? What do you think it means to be a mentor?
- What unique contributions do you think you can make to this program?
- What do you hope to get out of it personally and professionally?
- One letter of recommendation. This should speak to your teamwork skills (working in groups), integrity, responsibility (ability to follow through on tasks), and demonstrated interest in intercultural experiences. The letter can be submitted one of two ways:
- Directly to the Office of International Affairs in sealed envelopes
- Via email to imentor@iupui.edu.
- Attend a group interview.
- After receiving your completed application, OIA will contact you to confirm your group interview time and location. The Graduate Mentor Group Interview will be on the morning of Monday April 24th. This time is crucial to participate and the date is non-negotiable.
- If selected, attend an individual interview.
Have questions? Contact us at imentor@iupui.edu.