Grad CATS Mentoring

The Graduate Communities for Academic Transitions & Success (Grad CATS) Mentoring program empowers graduate students to navigate and thrive within the evolving landscape of graduate education.

By fostering meaningful mentoring relationships, strengthening connections across your academic and professional communities, and supporting your growth as learners and contributors, Grad CATS fosters continuous growth within your broad mentoring ecosystem.

What is Grad CATS Mentoring?

Grad CATS Mentoring provides foundational support as you transition into your current graduate degree. Whether you're transitioning from an undergraduate degree to a graduate degree, transitioning from one graduate degree to another, or, perhaps, transitioning from the workforce into either a graduate degree that aligns with your career or another career entirely, Grad CATS Mentoring will support you in making sense of your graduate education journey and making valuable connections with mentors and campus resources to navigate and thrive in graduate school.

The program integrates cohort-based engagement, facilitated peer mentoring, and guided reflection to help you navigate graduate milestones, connect with campus resources, and develop strategies for sustained success. Grad CATS Mentoring emphasizes community-building, intentional goal setting, and holistic support to promote your success now and into the future.

In Grad CATS Mentoring, you will:

Connect With Your Community

Grad CATS Mentoring cultivates a supportive graduate community where connection, reflection, and peer engagement are central to student success.

Identify Key Resources

Grad CATS Mentoring connects graduate students to campus resources, support services, and guidance that help them navigate academic expectations and plan intentionally for success.

Build Your Mentoring Network

Grad CATS Mentoring helps graduate students build meaningful mentorship networks that support academic growth, professional development, and long-term success.

Continue Learning Beyond Our Classroom

The Grad CATS Mentoring program connects you to an experienced graduate student peer mentor committed to supporting you throughout your experience, providing guidance and support as you develop helpful habits, practice student success strategies, and connect with essential support networks.

Grad CATS Mentoring Course

The Grad CATS Mentoring program includes enrollment in a 16-week 1-credit course hosted in the Graduate Center. Grad CATS Mentoring is offered in the fall and spring semesters to all master's and doctoral students within their first year of their current graduate program.

All first-year graduate students admitted for the fall term are encouraged to participate in the fall Grad CATS Mentoring cohorts.

First-year graduate students unavailable for the fall sections OR graduate students admitted into their graduate programs in the spring term are encouraged to participate in the spring Grad CATS Mentoring cohorts.

Our Grad CATS Mentoring Course Aims To:

Establish Our Mentoring Universe

We’ll begin by forming our mentoring cohort, co-creating community expectations, and shaping a learning environment driven by your goals. In this module, you’ll start building your mentoring network in partnership with the MENTOR Institute.

Develop Graduate Student Success Strategies

After mapping your mentoring network, we’ll expand your support systems by exploring student success strategies and campus resources, including wellness and writing support through Campus Health Services Health Promotions Hideaway and the Graduate Center Writing Lab.

Sustain Our Graduate Education Journey

After expanding your support systems, we’ll focus on financially sustaining our graduate education, exploring funding strategies and resources in partnership with Financial Wellness Initiatives and the Graduate Center Office of Fellowships.

Explore Our Professional & Career Pathways

Finally, we’ll focus on communicating your story and connecting it to your career path, exploring professional and career development resources through Graduate Center Professional Development and Graduate Center Career Services.