What is the Doctoral Peer Mentor Program? In this program, an experienced Walden doctoral student (the mentor) provides social support, advice, insider tips, and guidance for student success and development to an incoming student (the mentee) during the first few months of the doctoral program.
What will I gain from this program? You will become a Savvy Student who is connected, informed, and prepared to succeed in your doctoral program. Visit the Mentee Feedback page to read the positive feedback past mentees have shared about their experience.
How will I become a Savvy Student? Your peer mentor will lead you through the 8 Savvy Steps to Success via weekly email outreach.
When will I connect with my peer mentor? Whenever and as often as you like! Your peer mentor will be available via email, and as part of the program, you will be added to the WDPM.8000 Doctoral Peer Mentor Program classroom where you can choose to connect with your mentor during office hours or individual chats using Blackboard Collaborate. Plus, you will have the opportunity to connect with your peer mentor and other mentees via our private Facebook group and virtual Monthly Meetups.
How do I request a Doctoral Peer Mentor? To request a peer mentor, please click on the "Request a Mentor" button to complete a short mentor request form. If you qualify, our DPM Coordinator will connect you with a peer mentor.
How do I qualify for a Doctoral Peer Mentor? You must be in the first or second term of your doctoral program and submit your request for a mentor before the end of week 2 of the term. We are currently accepting requests for the following start dates:
Winter Quarter Start Dates
Spring Semester Start Dates
More than 700 new doctoral students get tips and social support from a peer mentor. Submit your request today to join them in becoming a Savvy Student!
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 virtual Monthly Meetups 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 Monthly Meetup, please email us at docmentorsupport@mail.waldenu.edu.
Our next Monthly Meetups 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.
