By Paige Selman-Boucher, Community and Volunteer Manager, Impact and Engagement
AACRAO Peer Mentoring connects AACRAO members to help them further develop professional goals and networks while letting the participants drive the relationship. The program focuses on competencies rather than functional areas for matching. This helps facilitate community and learning between members with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.
Participants are encouraged to set goals and meet regularly to fit their schedules and professional development needs. Participants can also take advantage of monthly lunch and learns, resources, discussions on the Exchange, and an online, asynchronous goal-setting course.
Apply by October 2, 2026 to join the fall cohort beginning on October 23, 2026.
Why should you join AACRAO Peer Mentoring?
The program is designed to help build community within mentoring groups and during lunch and learns. Past participants found the most beneficial aspects of the program to be the opportunity to discuss current events in higher education, bounce ideas off colleagues, and share institutional successes, challenges, resources, and policies.
What does the AACRAO Peer Mentoring model look like?
Instead of using a mentor-mentee model, this program uses a peer-based approach. This means that all participants are valued for their ability to help each other learn and grow. Everyone has valuable experiences, whether they are newer to the profession or have worked in higher education for over twenty years.
AACRAO does the matching for participants. AACRAO pairs participants with approximately two other AACRAO members based on their strengths and growth areas from within the AACRAO Competency Set. Each group then decides how frequently they want to meet to discuss challenges, share wins, and more. The most common frequency is once a month.
Who can participate in AACRAO Peer Mentoring?
AACRAO Peer Mentoring is open to all AACRAO members, regardless of experience level. Participants who are newer to the higher education profession will help those with more experience learn just as much as the other way around.
How much time does it take?
AACRAO recommends dedicating about two hours per month from October 2026 to February 2027. One hour to meet with your peers, and one hour to attend the monthly lunch and learn. You are welcome to connect with peers more often if you all agree. You also have the option to continue with future cohorts.
If I Apply, What’s the Timeline?
- October 2: Applications Due
- October 14 – 21: Peer mentor matches sent
- October 23 at 1:00 pm ET: Peer Mentor Kick-Off Call
- November 2026 – January 2027: Monthly Lunch and Learns, dates to be announced
- February 2027: Closing Peer Mentor Call
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