Our Mentors

They finished the degrees you are working on now.

Our mentors are working professionals: engineers at IBM, NVIDIA and Qualcomm, scientists at the Salk Institute and Thermo Fisher, nurses, lawyers, analysts and teachers. They studied at universities like Berkeley, UCLA and Carnegie Mellon. A few were international students themselves.

Working professionals

They have working experience, and they can help.

Engineers, nurses, teachers, analysts. None of them are paid for this. Many do it because someone once did the same for them.

41%of the 203 mentors who list a job
work in engineering or science
Where they work
Photos from ISMP

This is what ISMP looks like.

ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
ISMP mentors and students together
A mentor and a student together
What a mentor is

An older, wiser guide.

A mentor is…

someone older who knows this path. They listen without judging you, they talk honestly about their own difficulties, and they help you decide what to do next.

A mentor isn't…

a parent, a therapist, or a tutor who does your work for you. You still do your own work.
In their words

What students say about their mentors.

“I've met so many kind and supportive mentors through ISMP NC. Every event feels like coming home — a place where I can relax, connect with others, and simply be myself.”
JSJason SuUndergraduate · UNC
An ISMP group posing on a walk with the Philadelphia skyline behind them
A city walk in Philadelphia
“What I appreciate most about ISMP is how genuinely the mentors care about getting to know me and my life. … Because they know me personally, they have offered help in so many areas of my life, from moving in and adjusting to life in Philadelphia, to academics, job searching, and improving my English.”
Ganlin OuyangMaster's · UPenn
ISMP students and mentors wearing name tags, sitting around a long table over a shared meal
A shared meal at UCLA
“My mentor is very understanding and resourceful, helping me with job search, interpersonal skills, and personal growth, which allows my senior year to be less stressful.”
Gabi LeeSociology, B.S. · UCLA
“We often have meals and share life stories, and this place truly feels like a second home. … Our mentors have been exceptionally kind and caring, which means so much to me.”
GGGloria GuUndergraduate, exchange · Duke University
“Through ISMP, I met many interesting friends from different countries and cultures. Since everything is conducted in English, it has been a great place for non-native English speakers like me to practice and improve our communication skills.”
CWConan WangMaster's · Illinois Institute of Technology
Two people smiling for a photo on a path beside a lake, with wooded hills behind them
Out by the lake
“During my semester at UC Berkeley, joining ISMP was one of my best decisions because it gave me a true home away from home.”
Eason CaiPhysics and Computer Science · UC Berkeley

We will introduce you to a mentor.

Tell us where you are studying and what you want help with. It takes a few minutes.

Apply to get a mentor