With more than 50,000 students across three campuses, George Mason University can feel like a bustling city to new students. But inside the College of Engineering and Computing’s (CEC) Peer Mentor Center, said cybersecurity engineering major Laraib Zaidi, “It feels like a small town. You can walk in and talk to anybody.”
That sense of belonging is central to the Peer Mentor Center’s mission. The center offers a welcoming space where undergraduates can ask questions, receive academic support, and build the skills that shape their success in engineering and computing.
“What makes the Peer Mentor Center so special is the community it creates,” said Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising DaFran Ware. “Our mentors are talented upper‑level students who remember what it felt like to be new.”
The 16 peer mentors represent every major within the CEC, ensuring students can find someone who understands both their coursework and their long‑term goals. Students can walk in anytime during center hours for help in lower‑level course skills, from coding languages to foundational math.
“As a mentee, you can just walk into the center and say, ‘I need help with Python,’ and someone in the room can jump in and help,” explained bioengineering major Mansi Joseph. Joseph was drawn to mentoring because it stretches both communication and technical skills. “Being able to break down things in a small manner and explain them to someone, that’s a skill you can only develop in certain settings,” she said, adding that the experience also reinforces her own academic foundation.
Peer mentors also offer guidance on class planning, internships, résumés, and navigating George Mason’s many opportunities. For senior IT major Duong Thuy Nguyen, the center represents an opportunity to give students the type of guidance she once needed. As a first-generation college student and immigrant balancing family, work, and school, Nguyen relied on advisors, success coaches, and peer networks to chart her path. “I’m really good at studying; why not help?” said Nguyen. She emphasizes practical strategies with mentees: “Follow a schedule, talk to professors early, reach out for help.”
Zaidi calls the center a “convergence of every resource we have at Mason,” a place where academic support blends with real‑world advice and informal community. “It’s a small yet powerful network,” she said. “It’s everything from academic advising to tutoring.”
In a large university with thousands of students and countless moving parts, the Peer Mentor Center stands out as a place of connection, support, and community. Through one‑on‑one guidance and a culture shaped by shared experience, the center continues to grow as one of the college’s most impactful resources.