In this program, an experienced doctoral student (the mentor) provides social support to an incoming student (the mentee) during the beginning stages of the doctoral program. Mentors will connect with their mentees via e-mail and Skype to provide advice, insider tips, and guidance for student success and development. The mentor/mentee relationship will continue until the mentee successfully attends first residency or completes three terms, whichever comes first.
Would you like to be matched with a doctoral peer mentor? Please click on the "Request a Mentor" button to complete a short mentor match request form. Our DPM Coordinator will connect you with a peer mentor.
The Doctoral Peer Mentor program’s goal is to help incoming doctoral students establish social connections, adapt to their new identities as scholar-practitioners, and succeed in the first few terms of their doctoral journey.
During your participation in the Doctoral Peer Mentor program, your mentor will lead you through the 8 Savvy Steps to Success to help you become a Savvy Student. In the Doctoral Peer Mentor program, we describe a Savvy Student as someone who:
The 8 Savvy Steps to Success are listed below. Your mentor will provide more details.
The Doctoral Peer Mentor program offers hour-long group drop-in sessions hosted by doctoral peer mentors. During these sessions, you can drop-in to chat with two of our mentors to get immediate answers to your questions and connect with fellow students. You can stay for the whole hour, or come and ask questions and leave when you need to. If you are interested in joining our next group drop-in session, please email us at docmentorsupport@mail.waldenu.edu.
Our next group drop-in sessions are scheduled for:
Below are links to blogs and podcasts filled with peer mentors’ advice on how to be successful in your program, plan for residency, and prepare for the doctoral capstone. Also, join our peer mentor Facebook page to get socially connected with mentors and other Walden students.
Doctoral Peer Mentor's Facebook Group
Making the Most of Your First Residency, by Deanna Deaton
Balancing Doctoral Life During the Holidays, by Val Krage (Alumni Mentor)
Adjusting to Life as a Doctoral Student, by Val Krage (Alumni Mentor)
5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Motivated, by Christy Fraenza
My Doctoral Journey: Walden's Doctoral Writing Assessment, by Kimmy Porter
Dr. Christy Fraenza on Staying Connected to WaldenU, the Doctoral Peer Mentors, & Imposter Syndrome
Doctoral Peer Mentor Megan Bledsoe Offers Advice for Incoming WaldenU Doctoral Students
Doctoral Peer Mentor Megan Bledsoe Talks About Her Experience in Graduate Writing II
Mitch Luker Discusses Perfectionism and the Doctoral Peer Mentor Program
Mentees can talk with their mentor via Skype for Business which is available in Office 365. Mentees and mentors determine the date and time to connect, and the mentor will send a Skype chat invitation to the mentee’s email. For help setting up and using Skype for Business to meet with your mentor, please see our instructional video series.
