SOLES Mentor Program

SOLES is a proud partner of Mentor Collective! Mentor Collective is an organization that has delivered 700+ unique mentorship programs, established 160+ institutional partnerships and formed 160,000 mentoring relationships through expert-led research, services and technology. SOLES uses Mentor Collective's external mentoring platform to manage our mentor programming. You will often receive communications from them including reminders, surveys, and support. They are also available for technical support with the dashboard through help@mentorcollective.org.

SOLES students and recent alumni are eligible to participate if they are enrolled in or graduated from the following programs:

• MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• MA in School Counseling
• MA in Marital and Family Therapy
• MEd in Curriculum & Instruction (2-year programs)
• PhD in Education for Social Justice
• MA in Leadership Studies
• PhD in Leadership Studies

If you are not in one of the programs listed above and would like to participate, please contact Rachelle Martinez, Director of Student Engagement, at rmartinez@sandiego.edu.

Please note this program is only for SOLES graduate students. If you are a USD graduate student outside of SOLES, please contact your student support team for resources.

The minimum expectation is two conversations per semester but you tell us how much time you have to meet with your mentees: once per month, twice per month, once per week, etc. You can also choose the number of students you support! We want to make sure you have the agency to determine your involvement while still allowing you to develop the leadership skills necessary for your growth.

Furthermore, SOLES students often engage in mentorship without realizing it through engaging with their peers, being supportive, and answering questions. This program is a great way to formalize those efforts and add this experience to your resume.

No, the program is free for participants.

Mentors are not compensated as this is a voluntary opportunity.

That said, mentorship is far from a one-sided experience. It’s an act of altruism and leadership, rooted in the belief that we grow stronger as a community when we support one another. Mentors offer guidance, encouragement, and perspective to incoming students—often drawing from their own lived experiences. In return, they gain meaningful connections, sharpen their interpersonal and leadership skills, and contribute to a culture of belonging and mutual care.

Mentorship is more transformational than transactional, and your impact can last far beyond a single academic year.

Technically, one academic year, however we encourage you to remain in contact beyond this if you develop a strong relationship with your mentee.