Peer Mentoring Overview

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The EARS Peer Mentoring program provides one-on-one peer support for those currently enrolled at Cornell, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Peer Mentors support students through informal conversations on topics common to the student experience (e.g., adjusting to college/grad school, stress, social connections, identity, and belonging) and help get students connected to relevant well-being campus and community resources. Note: The EARS Peer Mentoring program is not a professional mental health service; students who come in for areas that Peer Mentors are not trained to provide (e.g., counseling, diagnoses, conversations related to harm to self or others) will be referred to professional resources. 

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Thank you for being patient as we finalize our schedule for the spring 2024 semester.

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If you have questions about Peer Mentoring after reading the sections below, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by email at ears@cornell.edu.

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Frequently Asked Questions

 

How do I become a Peer Mentor?

Peer Mentors are trained EARS staff members who have completed Beginning and Advanced Training and our evaluation process. 

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How can I connect with a Peer Mentor? 

The Peer Mentoring does not require appointments; simply stop by the EARS Room while we are open.

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How is Peer Mentoring different from previous Peer Counseling?

• Relationship:

  • Peer Counseling: Our previous model assumed a formal, established Peer Counselor-client relationship. Sessions generally followed a specific structure, and the Peer Counselor remained anonymous.

  • Peer Mentoring: The relationship is informal and more conversational with our new model. Peer Mentor bios are now available to the student body so students can get to know who they will be talking to. Also, the Peer Mentor-Mentee relationship is intended to be short-term. Peer Mentors can help connect you with a long-term mental health support service if that suits your needs.

• Audience:

  • Peer Counseling: EARS Peer Counseling services embodied the motto “any person, any issue,” which means support was offered to members of the Cornell community and others off-campus.

  • Peer Mentoring: The new Peer Mentoring drop-in hours are exclusively offered to current Cornell undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. 

• Scope:

  • Peer Counseling: As previously mentioned, EARS Peer Counseling provided confidential support for "any issue."

  • Peer Mentoring: Peer Mentoring provides private support to students through informal conversations on topics common to the student experience (e.g., adjusting to college/grad school, stress, social connections, identity, and belonging) and connects students to relevant well-being campus and community resources. If students come to EARS Peer Mentoring for support outside the scope of our Peer Mentors (e.g., counseling, diagnoses, conversations related to harm to self or others), they will be referred to professional resources. 

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