CORE Mentorship Program
About CORE Programs at U of G
CORE (Creating Opportunities for Racial Equity) programs at U of G include the CORE Peer Program for first-year students and the CORE Mentorship Program for upper-year students.
About the CORE Mentorship Program
The CORE (Creating Opportunities for Racial Equity) Mentorship Program is a mentorship program for Black and racialized students at the University of Guelph. CORE pairs upper-year (second year and above) Black and racialized students with a Black or racialized professional, staff or faculty in an area of the student’s interest to support the student with building meaningful connections, developing a strong social and professional network, and establishing a community on campus and in Guelph broadly.
Apply for the CORE Mentorship Program!
Mentor and Mentee applications for F24/W25 are now open. If you have any questions, please contact cultural.diversity@uoguelph.ca
By participating in the CORE Mentorship Program, you will
- Get connected to professionals who can guide you in navigating challenges and barriers you might experience in either school or the workplace. Mentoring relationships established through the CORE Mentorship Program are intended to support academic success, career preparation and retention, social engagement, networking, and more!
- Have the opportunity to attend monthly workshops and events that are specifically designed to build social networks and transferable skills. These include career-building seminars, academic information sessions, and discussions on navigating identity-based experiences in the workplace.
- Be part of a community that understands your experiences as a Black or racialized individual, and supports you in identifying and achieving your personal and professional goals. Through the CORE Mentorship Program, you will be connected with fellow Black and racialized U of G students, as well as Black and racialized professionals across various disciplines who can help guide you in your academic, professional, and personal journeys.
- CORE Professional Development Workshops have included "Leadership in the Workplace" with LANG, "Networking and Branding" with RBC on Campus, and "Wellbeing in the Workplace" with the Wellness and Education Promotion Centre.
To be eligible for the CORE Mentorship Program, you must:
- Be a U of G undergraduate student in second-year or above
- Identify as Black or racialized
- Be 18 years of age or above
Hear from our past participants!
"The CORE mentorship program has really helped me a lot both academically and in my personal life. It gave me the guidance on academics and career paths that I had been looking for and the conversations I had were inspiring and empowering. I truly believe the connection I made will last a lifetime." – Bio-Medical Science student, 3rd year
"[My mentor and I] are able to talk about almost everything and I feel very safe and comfortable with her. These are definitely the highlights of my week and I always look forward to the meetings” – Animal Biology student, 2nd year
"My mentor is great! We really connected and clicked! She's given me a lot of advice and connected me to a lot of resources and people. She given me a safe space to talk about issues that I can't normally talk to someone who is not [Black and racialized]. I feel like this mentorship will continue beyond this program” - Bio-Medical Science student, 3rd year
“I have seen a lot of personal growth and increase in self-confidence”. – Biological Science Student, 2nd year
“I love the feeling that I am supported and someone reliable and knowledgeable is there to listen to my concerns and help guide me”. – Psychology student, 4th year
"My main goal for joining this program was to expand my networking skills. Not only did she help me achieve that but she also guided me in various aspects. I can confidently say that I am now proficient at networking and have the necessary tools for success.” - Biochemistry student, 2nd year
“Serving as a mentor has helped me better understand my students as an instructor. I have learned so much from her!" - U of G faculty member