Thrive Mentorship Program

Thrive (beginning Fall 2025), is a program connecting first- and second-year LGBTQ+ students with second-, third-, and fourth year peer mentors. Our goal is to foster greater peer and school connectedness, related to improving participants’ sense of belonging, support student retention, and care of students’ personal and leadership identity development.

Program goals

1. Provide interpersonal, academic, and professional support to queer students on campus
2. Foster greater peer and school connectedness to improve participants’ sense of belonging
3. Support personal identity and leadership development
4. Help queer students connect with LGBTQ+ resources on campus
5. Increase visibility of queer students at Loyola

Mentor Qualifications

• A full-time undergraduate student at Loyola, both currently and for the upcoming academic year (students studying abroad in the upcoming academic year are not eligible to be mentors)
• Be able to participate in mandatory trainings
• Be in good judicial and academic standing (minimum 2.5 overall GPA)
• Be knowledgeable of campus programs, personnel, policies, and procedures
• Possess good interpersonal skills and illustrate reliability, responsibility and patience
• Be willing to serve as a positive role model and example for peers

Mentor Responsibilities

• Commit to the mission and program objectives of the Thrive mentorship program
• After receiving mentee, make initial contact within the first week, and contact your mentees bi-weekly at minimum, thus spending quality time and establishing rapport
• Have (at least) monthly meetings with mentee to sustain your connection
• Participate with mentees in programs and social events sponsored by The Thrive Center for Student Success, in particular those connected to the Thrive mentorship program
• Support growth of mentee mentally, interpersonally, and academically
• Provide a safe space for your mentee to talk openly about difficulties, use active listening and empathic communication skills
• Encourage mentees to participate in LGBTQ+ programs and organizations
• Serve as a liaison between your mentee(s) and The Thrive Center for Student Success
• Perform in the best interest of Loyola University Maryland, serving as a representative of the college by presenting a positive outlook of the overall program

We will begin recruiting mentees at the start of the fall semester! Mentee positions are open to first-years, sophomores, and juniors who would like to be matched with a peer mentor. Mentees are welcome to register for a mentor at any point during the academic year.