Sankofa Mentorship Program

“For Us, By Us.”

The Sankofa Mentorship Program (SMP) is African Student Programs (ASP) year-long mentorship program that is facilitated in collaboration with Black Student Success (BSS).  The mentorship program is directed by the ASP Program Coordinator (Sharee Hughes) and the Black Student Success Coordinator (Victor Moreira).  SMP provides programming throughout the entire academic year that is carefully designed to holistically support Black scholars that are completing their first year at the freshmen or transfer level.  SMP provides peer mentorship from Black scholars with at least one full year of UCR experience to the program mentees during the Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. The peer mentors and mentees attend the various programs that are facilitated by ASP and BSS as well as by the various Black student organizations at UCR.  The bonds that our mentees build with their peer mentor remain long after the program has ended!

SMP provides various programming that will expose mentees to the following groups:

• Black Graduate Students
• Black Faculty
• Black Staff
• Black Alumni
• Community Partners

Each of the aforementioned groups will provide unique insights that will help mentees navigate the road to success at UCR.  Black scholars will have the opportunity to connect with members of each group. The intent of these interactions is to spark relationship-building between Black scholars, faculty, staff, graduate students, alumni, and community partners that will last long after the year has ended and long after they have graduated from UCR. Participation is not limited to those who identify as African American or Black only. Participation in the Sankofa Mentorship Program will not be denied to anyone on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, veteran’s status, or sexual orientation.

Program Benefits

• Weekly check-ins with your assigned peer mentor
• “Study Nights” throughout each quarter
• Exclusive access to the ASP Pro Staff to receive student success support
• Holistic student success programming, workshops, and events
• Access to academic support resources such as tutoring and same-day/next-day academic advising
• Opportunities to form friendships and establish connections with Black scholars in various majors

How to Participate

In order to participate, you must be completing your first year at UCR as a freshman or transfer.  If you are ready to join the Sankofa Mentorship Program for the 2024-2025 academic year, please complete the form found at the link below:

https://ucriverside.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cBG8FVGPndYIaNg

There is no deadline to join, but space is limited!  Once we hit our max limit we will be closing the program and opening up the waitlist.  Get in now!  If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please email Victor Moreira at victor.moreira@ucr.edu or Sharee Hughes at sharee.hughes@ucr.edu