Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Find ASU resources here: LGBTQ+ Student Resources

ASU students laughing and holding up pride flag

I'm a graduate student. Should I sign up to be a mentee or mentor?

Graduate students are able to sign up to be a mentee or mentor.

I'm a postdoctoral scholar. Can I participate?

Yes, we welcome postdoctoral scholars to apply to serve as mentors!

Can I participate in this program even if I am not located in the Phoenix/Tempe area?

Yes, any of the mandatory events will have a virtual component or alternative. In the application form, you will note any preferences based on locale.

Am I eligible to be a mentor as a student?

In this inaugural year, we have decided to try out the program to be faculty/staff as mentors and students as mentees (while graduate students can be either mentee or mentor)—although we recognize that people at every level have valuable knowledge to share.

What types of activities do we do?

We encourage mentees and mentors to communicate about their desire for activities. This can look like grabbing coffee, having a meal, or going on a walk around campus.

Will activities be paid?

Any activities that occur outside of the planned events held by the FSA/RainCo will have to be personally funded. If there are any concerns about financial commitments, please speak to your mentor or program lead, Antonio Duran.

What happens if I ever need to report an interaction that happened in my mentor-mentee pair?

If at any point you would like to report a negative interaction that has occurred in your mentor-mentee pair, please see reporting options offered at ASU (https://urr.asu.edu/reporting-options).

Can I switch my mentor or mentee pair?

Switching a mentor or mentee may not be possible, but if you reach out to the program lead, they will tell you about the likelihood of this being the case.

Can I continue on with my mentor—mentee relationship after the year has concluded?

Yes! You can either submit an application together the following year or continue the mentoring relationship informally.

What happens if I can no longer continue in my mentor-mentee relationship during the year?

If extenuating circumstances occur and you can no longer continue in the program, please alert your mentor or mentee and also communicate this to the program lead.

Resources on LGBTQ+ Mentoring

The founding committee has organized the following resources that may be helpful for you to read before engaging in your mentorship relationship:

Three queer students having a conversation

Academic Articles

  • Holloway, I. W., Ochoa, A. M., Wu, E. S. C., Himmelstein, R., Wong, J. O., & Wilson, B. D. M. (2019). Perspectives on academic mentorship from sexual and minority students pursuing careers in the health sciences. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 89(3), 343-353. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ort0000410
  • Orozco, R. C., Duran, A., & Pulido, G. (2024). Creando mundos y futuros de joteria: Ofrendas of queertorship for and by queer and trans Latinx/a/o people. Journal of Latinos and Education, 23(4), 1362-1374. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2023.2268732
  • Przybylo, E. (2022). Mentorship phenomenology: Queer sharing, opposition, and generosity. In C. Mahn, M. Brim, & Y. Taylor (Eds.), Queer sharing in the marketized university (pp. 173-188). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003203254-14
  • Revilla, A. (2022). Resisting spirit murder: Nurturing spirit restoration and healing through Muxerista and Jotería mentorship. Aztlán: A Journal of Chicano Studies, 47(2), 191-203. https://doi.org/10.1525/azt.2022.47.2.191
Queer student with piercings

Thought Pieces/Blogs

Tentative 2025-2026 Calendar of Events

Below, we have listed on the tentative schedule for the mentor-mentee program. Any dates are subject to change but changes will be communicated via email. Beyond having your mentor-mentee meetings, we ask that mentors and mentees go to 1 ASU or local area/virtual event together a semester.

Mandatory/Highly Recommended Recommended
September
  • Applications Open Now!
  • Information Session in Tempe (September 11th from 12-1pm)
  • Applications due (September 30th)
October
  • Mentor training (October 8th from 8-10am)
    • Will be recorded
  • Kickoff and mixer event (October 23rd)
  • Out @ ASU Week event (October 16-20)
  • Matches announced by the 17th
  • Optional Mentor Q&A session (October 20th)
  • Drag U: We're Back! (October 21st)
November
December
January
  • LGBTQ+ FSA/RainCo National Mentoring Month Event—Mentor and Mentee-Specific Check-Ins
February
March
April
  • Attend Drag U Downtown or Viva La Drag
May
  • Rainbow Connections End of Year Banquet