Princeton University Mentoring Program

08/21/2025

🚨ATTENTION PLEASE🚨

The 2025-2026 New Mentee application for PUMP is officially open.

This opportunity is OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS apart of the Class of 2029. We will be accepting applications until Sunday, September 7, 2025.

Application: bit.ly/PUMPMentee29

07/29/2025

We are currently accepting applications for our 2025-2026 PUMP New Mentor cohort! PUMP pairs each first-year student (mentee) with a sophomore, junior, or senior who serves as a peer mentor to help mentees navigate campus life and create a network of support. The new mentor application will remain open until all spots are filled; however, if you are interested in serving as a PUMP mentor, we recommend completing the application as soon as possible.

LINK: https://bit.ly/PUMP2025NewMentor

02/12/2025

Attention Princeton Class of 2028🧡

The Princeton University Mentoring Program (PUMP) is an internationally certified peer mentoring program that highlights students of color and is open to ALL students. PUMP is designed to assist first-year undergraduate students in their cultural, academic, and social acclimation to Princeton.

By being part of PUMP, you’ll be:
👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾 Paired with a sophomore, junior or senior based on interests who will serve as a peer mentor to support you throughout the academic year. Each pair is also matched with a Princeton alumni mentor.
📝 Learn about useful campus resources.
✏️ Gain valuable academic, leadership, and professional skills.
✨ and MORE!

If you are interested, the deadline to apply has been extended to Monday, September 9, 2024 @ 11:59pm or when spots fill up, whichever occurs first: bit.ly/PUMPMentee28

Send a message to learn more

02/12/2025

Welcome to Princeton, Class of 2028🧡!

The Princeton University Mentoring Program (PUMP) is an internationally certified peer mentoring program that highlights students of color and is open to ALL students. PUMP is designed to assist first-year undergraduate students in their cultural, academic, and social acclimation to Princeton.

By being part of PUMP, you’ll be:
👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾 Paired with a sophomore, junior or senior based on interests who will serve as a peer mentor to support you throughout the academic year. Each pair is also matched with a Princeton alumni mentor.
📝 Learn about useful campus resources.
✏️ Gain valuable academic, leadership, and professional skills.
✨ and MORE!

If you are interested, the deadline to apply is Sunday, September 8, 2024, or when spots fill up, whichever occurs first: bit.ly/PUMPMentee28

Send a message to learn more

01/28/2025

Welcome back tigers! We look forward to seeing more activities between our mentors and mentees. In the meantime, here’s a glimpse of some of the things the pairs did last semester!
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Be sure to continue checking your email for some important PUMP updates and new events coming up. Happy FDOC!!

09/17/2024

Introducing you to your 2024-2025 PUMP Cohort! ✨

This last Friday, mentees solved a puzzle to meet their mentors and began planning their events for this upcoming school year.

We look forward to seeing all the activities the pairs participate in!

03/04/2024

PUMP Pair Spotlights 👭
Meet Silvana Nasim ’24 and her mentee Gisele Sonnier ’27!
 
Silvana
Hometown: Camden, Delaware
Major: Sociology
Fun Fact: I work as a Wedding Coordinator with The Princeton University Chapel!
How has mentoring contributed to your growth: On a cold and dark winter morning, the prospect of a warm drink and a nice chat with Gisele gives me all the motivation I need to get my day started. I’ve come to appreciate and really feel grateful for the revitalizing energy that meeting in-person with a great mentee like Gisele can bring. On a personal level, if you couldn’t already tell, getting to know Gisele has given me tremendous joy and energy. On a professional level, seeing Gisele strive for and *succeed* in what she does inspires me! She’s really incredible!
 
Gisele
Hometown: Kensington, Maryland
Prospective Major: SPIA (School of Public and International Affairs)
Fun Fact: I love growing and caring for orchids!
Interests: I dance with PUBallet, BodyHype, and BAC
How has mentoring contributed to your growth: a has been extremely valuable in introducing me to the many opportunities available at Princeton. From tools for academic success to clubs to interesting job opportunities, she has shown me so much of the campus community that I wouldn’t have discovered on my own!  
 
Favorite Memories with Each Other🥺
Silvana: I’ve really cherished our morning coffee shop meet ups. I look forward to them every week! We pick a new coffee spot, try new flavors, and bond. It’s the best way to start the morning.
Gisele: We have been on a mission to try as many coffee shops in Princeton as possible - I have enjoyed exploring the community and trying something new with Silvana!
Alt Text:
1. Selfie of Silvana(left) and Gisele(right)
2. Silvana and Gisele’s favorite memories with each other
3. Headshot of Silvana
4. Headshot of Gisele

02/19/2024

PUMP Pair Spotlights👬
Meet Esteban Gonzalez ’26 and his mentee Philip Mwendwa ’27!
 
Esteban
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Major: Chemical and Biological Engineering
Fun Fact: I can play about 5 instruments (guitar, bass, ukulele, trumpet, and a bit of piano)
Interests: Music jam sessions, going on hikes, and playing video games
Favorite Memory at Princeton: Taking over a lecture hall with some friends to have a movie night.
How has mentoring contributed to your growth: Mentoring has allowed me to reflect on my past experiences to help my mentee prevent mistakes I had fallen into.
Favorite Memory with Philip? Our trip to the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade in New York
 
Philip
Hometown: Gaborone, Botswana
Major: Chemical and Biological Engineering
Interests: Calisthenics
How has mentoring contributed to your growth: The opportunity to talk to someone going through something (academic goals) that you anticipate to do regularly is an experience I
appreciate. I got to see what works and doesn’t work as he did it and that’s great! Aside from bonding over career interests, our personalities get along well and I knew he was someone I can rely on if I had an issue.
What you’ve learned from your mentorship experience? That I’ll be fine. That’s something Esteban would tell me even if I didn’t believe it. The first semester got a bit rough with my course selection, but I put in all my effort and ended up just fine.
Alt Text:
1. Selfie of Philip(left) and Esteban(right)
2. Reflections on Philip and Esteban’s mentoring relationship
3. Headshot of Esteban
4. Headshot of Philip

01/21/2024

Happy National Thank Your Mentor Day!💖

Thank you to all of our PUMP mentors, past and present, for giving your all to help first-year students transition to Princeton!

Feel free to share your gratitude with any and all mentors in your life!


Go to the comments to see some of the notes of appreciation from our mentees to their mentors!

Alt Text:
1. 3 x 3 Grid of photos of mentors with their mentees
2. Sarah and Maida
3. Maiya and Chima
4. Roxy and Tammy
5. Aaron and Andy
6. Anki and Caden
7. Jessica and Sunney
8. Liz and Amparo
9. Mya and Chichi
10. Julia and Sarina

01/21/2024

Happy National Thank Your Mentor Day!💖

Thank you to all of our PUMP mentors, past and present, for giving your all to help first-year students transition to Princeton!

Feel free to share your gratitude with any and all mentors in your life!


Go to the comments to see some of the notes of appreciation from our mentees to their mentors!

Alt Text:
1. 3 x 3 Grid of photos of mentors with their mentees
2. Caden and Yubi
3. Maaso and Yousef
4. Callie and Yassine
5. Odette and Alejandra
6. Angela and Raj
7. Jade and Chloe
8. Helenia and Aphia
9. Philip and Yan
10. Jeremy and Zhi

01/19/2024

PUMP Pair Spotlights👭
Meet Akhila Bandlora ’24 and her mentee Destiny Allen ’27!

Akhila
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Major: Psychology with a Certificate in African American Studies
Fun Fact: I’m allergic to walnuts!
Interests: Writing, reading, trying new food, hanging out with friends, trying new coffee shops!

Destiny
Hometown: Richmond, Virginia
Major: Anthropology with a Minor in Visual Arts
Favorite memory from Princeton: Going axe throwing
How has mentoring contributed to your growth: Mentoring helped alleviate a lot of anxiety and led me to try things that I wouldn’t have gone for originally.

Favorite Memories with Each Other🥺
Akhila: Baking cinnamon rolls together to celebrate Destiny’s bday
Destiny: Baking Swedish cinnamon buns and making chai!
Alt Text:
1. Akhila (left) and Destiny (right)
2. Akhila and Destiny’s favorite memories with each other
3. Headshot of Akhila
4. Headshot of Destiny

01/18/2024

PUMP Pair Spotlights👬
Meet Issa Mudashiru ’25 and his mentee Calvin Fief Andoh ’27!

Issa
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Major: Medical Anthropology with Certificates in Chinese Language and Global Health and Health Policy
Fun Fact: My favorite dishes are West African stews eaten with rice
Favorite Memory at Princeton: Watching the Ivy League winning goal against Penn my freshman year and running full sprint to the corner to celebrate with my teammates

Calvin
Hometown: Accra, Ghana
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering with a Minor in Computer Science
Interests: Soccer, swimming, and video games
Fun Fact: I prefer to be a jack of all trades because life is too short to be a master of just one
Favorite Memory at Princeton: The Princeton vs Harvard Football Game
How has mentoring contributed to your growth: The PUMP program has really played a crucial role in my adjustment to the academic and social life at Princeton. Being the first time in the United States, the guidance I received from my mentor significantly contributed in helping me navigate and adapt to this new environment

Favorite Memories with Each Other🥺
Issa: FIFA post-Rocky dinner
Calvin: Playing FIFA together and sharing our Princeton experiences over dinner.
Alt Text:
1. Selfie of Calvin (left) and Issa (right)
2. Calvin and Issa’s favorite memories with each other
3. Headshot of Issa
4. Headshot of Calvin