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Peer Mentor Program

The Graduate Student Peer Mentorship Program is designed to foster a supportive and inclusive community for all graduate students. Rooted in equity-minded approaches, the program ensures that all students, including but not limited to international students and those from underrepresented communities—receive personalized guidance and support to thrive academically, professionally, and personally. Our peer mentors are dedicated to creating meaningful connections, sharing resources, and helping mentees navigate the unique challenges of graduate school.

Resources

Peer mentors are from a variety of fields and have received training in preparing for graduate school.

Headshot Portrait of Eleni wearing black glasses and a burgundy shirt

Eleni Benchek is a second-year graduate student in the Psychological Science program at CSUN working in Dr. Stefanie Drew's VISN Lab. Her research interests combine cognitive psychology, education, and technology, and she is currently researching the use of virtual reality for learning chemistry. She is passionate about studying science and math learning and underrepresentation in STEM. At CSUN, she is a GRAD Center Peer Mentor, a Bridges to the PhD research scholar, and an Instructional Student Assistant for the Psychology Department.

Headshot Portrait of Jocelyn wearing a teal, black, blue, and brown zebra shirt

Jocelyn Lagunas graduated from UC Riverside with a B.S. in Sociology & Administrative studies in Marketing and is currently a graduate student in CSUN's Higher Education Leadership & Policy Studies program (ELPS). Her work focuses on researching basic needs resources among Latine and first-generation college students. At CSUN, she is a GRAD Center Peer Mentor and basic needs advocate.


Adrian Lopez-Marquez graduated from UCLA with his B.A. in Psychology (With minors in Chicano Studies and History) and is currently a student in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Adrian is currently completing a generalist Social Work program designed to prepare professional social workers to be anti-oppressive, socially just agents of change by promoting well-being in urban settings. Adrian has an extensive background in diversity and inclusion efforts in higher education, research, community mental health, medical social work, and school-based social work. Currently, Adrian is a GRAD Center Peer Mentor, an intern with the Los Angeles Unified School District, and an employee at a hospital-based inpatient program.

Headshot Portrait of Elizabeth wearing a pink shirt

Elizabeth Pitpitan is currently a graduate student in the College Counseling program and graduated from CSUN with a B.A. in Child & Adolescent Development. During her undergraduate studies, she was a Supplemental Instructor in Writing and became inspired to work with college students professionally as a hopeful college counselor and professor. Elizabeth currently works at LA Pierce College's Career & Transfer Center as a mentor, writing tutor at CSUN's Learning Resource Center, and at CHIME Charter School as a clinical mental health counseling intern. Aside from school, Elizabeth likes making paper crafts, watching Filipino and Korean TV shows, and playing Stardew Valley.

For more information, please contact GradCenter by email at GradCenter@csun.edu or call (818) 677-2138.

*Information coming soon*

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