New Peer Mentoring Program Brings Student Success to Department of Psychology

September 22, 2025 - Shelly DeJong

This semester, 14 psychology majors have become PSY Student Success Mentors, supporting fellow students in the Department of Psychology.   

This program, led by academic advisor Noël Lugo, is a two-semester, credit-bearing academic peer mentorship course that is designed to foster student success and access to opportunities.  

“I joined the PSY Student Success Mentors program to give back to my school. I am so grateful for all the opportunities that MSU has given me, and I want to make sure that the dedication and passion other psychology students have for the field doesn’t go unnoticed,” said Haley Price, a senior psychology major and a PSY Student Success Mentor. “I’m excited to be a mentor who helps driven psychology students turn their aspirations into reality.” 

As mentors, they will staff weekly support hours to help students navigate departmental and campus websites, connect students to campus services and experts, share academic tips, and help with other processes that might be roadblocks to success. The students will also promote belonging and well-being in the department.   

The mentors hosted their first event this week, the PSY Planner Party, encouraging students to use a planner to stay organized. They offered stickers and markers to decorate planners, and also shared tips on how to use planners as a tool for success.  

“My own journey as a first-gen, low-income, nontraditional student taught me how powerful it is to have mentors who understood that my life outside the classroom mattered just as much as my academics. Their holistic support helped me move from surviving to growing, and it’s the foundation of this program,” said Lugo.   

The PSY Student Success Mentors program was awarded $5,000 from the Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant program to support the launch. These grants aim to support initiatives that enhance the overall learning, living, and working environments for the MSU community.  

“I’m deeply grateful to the Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant for supporting our launch,” said Lugo. “Most importantly, I’m grateful to my 14 mentors for bringing this program to life. Together, we’re building something student-centered and equity-driven that has the potential to make a lasting impact!”