Students Studying in The United States Global Student Mentor Program

The mission of the Office of Global Services’ Global Student Mentor Program is to support incoming international students as they transition to college life at Northeastern and to the culture of the United States, to foster engagement with the Northeastern community, and to improve resource utilization. 

A peer mentor is a current student who spends time with new students to help them adjust to college life. Both international and domestic students can apply to be peer mentors. The students who receive mentorship are called “mentees.”

Participating new students will be matched with an OGS Global Student Mentor. The mentor will reach out first over email and introduce themselves and set up the first meeting. Throughout the academic term, mentees will connect with their mentor in person through one-on-one meetings and group gatherings. These meetings take place in-person and at least once per month. Mentees can ask questions and receive advice from the perspective of an experienced Northeastern student. Your mentor will help you to set goals for your experience at Northeastern. Mentees might consider discussing with their mentors:

• How to access resources on campus
• How to join a club or get involved with the campus community
• Suggestions for developing college-level study skills
• How to use public transportation in Boston
• Questions about American culture 
• Feelings of homesickness 

It is important that mentees make the same level of commitment as their mentor. This includes being responsive to your mentor and making time in your schedule for regular meetings throughout the whole semester.

Northeastern has many different mentorship programs, so please review other options to find which program best supports your interest and needs. The OGS program is dedicated to supporting international students in their cultural transition and academic success. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that your mentor will be a student in your same academic program. If you are interested in peer support specific to your academic program, please consult with your academic advisor to see what may be available. Additionally, this program is not for the purpose of career or workplace networking (though you may want to discuss strategies for professional networking with your mentor).

Sign up early to be matched with a mentor by August 16th for new students starting their program on-campus in Boston in September.  

Additional matching dates include September 1st and September 13th.  After September 13th, our program will be closed to new applicants.   

Interested in participating? Before you sign up, confirm that you: 

• Will be a new student in your first semester at Northeastern 
• Understand the program mission 

• Can meet the time commitment to attend regular meetings throughout the semester 
• Sign up before September 13th 

Click on the link below to create a Mentee profile on our GSM mentorship platform through ‘Qooper’. After publishing your profile, we will go through a vetting process to make sure you meet all the requirements, then you will be matched with a mentor. 

• Sign up as a Mentee here!

Follow us on Instagram   to watch and read some GSM testimonials 

OGS hires for new Mentors periodically. When Mentor applications are open, you can find the application on the Student Employment portal from your Student Hub page. Mentors can be domestic or international students, and graduate students who have attended Northeastern University for at least one semester. When ready to hire, there will be several days of marketing on Instagram and information in the Newsletter before the application opens… so make sure to follow us if you are interested in becoming a Mentor. 

• Expectations of a mentor include: 
• Attend mandatory trainings 
• Be prepared to take on 10-15 mentees at one time 
• Meet with each mentee in person at least once per month 
• Provide event support for the Office of Global Services events 

• Global Student Mentors will apply for committees to complete additional projects such as the OGS Newsletter, Instagram/Facebook, Reels, etc.  
• Meeting with assigned mentees at least once per month throughout the academic term 
• Work a minimum of two Office Hours per week in person  
• Adherence to the mentor code of ethics 

Desired qualities include: 

• Interpersonal skills  
• High communication skills 
• Cross-cultural sensitivity 
• Problem solving 
• Patience 

• Excellence in customer service 
• Professionalism, including punctuality and follow-through 
• Interest in creating an inclusive community at Northeastern
   

Some benefits of becoming a Global Student Mentor include: 

• Meeting students from around the world 

• Practicing intercultural competence and citizen diplomacy 
• Professional development and opportunity to demonstrate and grow in leadership capabilities 
• Ability to help shape international student services by providing feedback on the experience of your mentees 
• On-campus work experience 
• Mentors are not responsible for and should not provide any immigration or visa-related advice or information. 

• Mentors are not Career Coaches or Advisors and will not provide resume or job search review.  Please direct student questions to Employer Engagement and Career Design at https://careers.northeastern.edu/students/.