GiGS Mentors About Mentoring with the GiGS ProgramAs a GiGS mentor, you may be working with 1-2 Berkeley undergraduate students who are unfamiliar with the path to graduate study. Mentors meet with mentees at least 3 times per semester, maintain responsive email correspondence with mentees, and may be called upon to participate in a classroom panel discussion. Graduate student mentors provide a holistic mentoring experience to encompass more than simply academic advice. Benefits Leadership & training Receive leadership development training to acquire equity-focused mentoring skills. Advising skills Mentors will help increase the diversity of students applying for graduate school by mentoring undergraduate students representing a range of ethnicities, socioeconomic classes, family college backgrounds, and academic disciplines. As a mentor, you will hone advising and mentoring skills as you provide socio-emotional and academic advice and assistance to mentees. Stipend Mentors will receive a $1,000 stipend for the year ($500 per semester). This year, mentors who host their mentees as undergraduate researchers will receive an additional $100/semester. Eligibility Mentors must be registered UC Berkeley graduate students in good academic standing and not on filing fee for the duration of the 2025-2026 academic year. Requirements Submit an application and contract Submit an online application. Upon acceptance into the program, mentors will be required to sign a contract detailing their commitment to the program and their respective mentor duties. Please note that mentors are selected based on undergraduate student needs, including specific research interests and/or intended fields. Thus, we cannot guarantee that your application will be selected. APPLICATION Online Mentor Application Application Deadline: Friday, August 8, 2025 at 5 PM PT Selection notifications will be sent out by late August. Mandatory training & events Must attend Orientation/Training events in Fall and Spring semesters as scheduled: Mentor Orientation: Friday, September 12, 2025 3:10-5 PM PT Program Kick-off Event: Friday, September 19, 2025 1-3 PM PT End of Year Celebration: date/time TBA *Spring Semester dates: TBA Mentee meetings Required to meet with mentees at least three times per semester, and dedicate at least 10 additional hours per semester to engagement with your mentee (email, phone, etc). Mentor-mentee meetings can be used to discuss undergraduate preparation, program selection, revise graduate school or research program application materials, attend events or talks together, or give advice and answer questions regarding post-graduation possibilities. A large part of your commitment as a GiGS mentor is to provide a nurturing environment for your students to feel comfortable asking you any questions/assistance regarding graduate school or post-graduation plans and share your genuine experience to and in graduate school to the extent you are comfortable. Questions Please email [email protected] with any questions about the GiGS mentorship program.