Apply to Become a Student Mentor

Are you a current Swarthmore student in search of an engaging summer opportunity? You could be the next Student Mentor in the Swarthmore Summer Scholars Program!

The S3P mentors, scholars, and staff pose to celebrate on the last day of the 2024 Summer Scholars Program.

The S3P mentors, scholars, and staff pose to celebrate on the last day of the 2024 Summer Scholars Program.

Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to apply to join the S3P team! As an S3P Mentor, you'll mentor incoming first-year students academically and socially, build your leadership skills, and form lasting relationships with your peers and professors. Each mentor will be assigned to work with a specific S3P course, including Math, Writing, and Computer Science in 2027.

The Mentor application will be available on this website on January 19th, 2027. Applications are due Sunday, February 14th at 4:59pm ET.

Mentor Requirements and Expectations

Student Mentors will:

  • Receive a $6,000 stipend
  • Be fully available every day from June 21 - July 31, 2027, including during the evening and on weekends.
  • Impact the lives of 16 incoming first-generation and low-income students
  • Be assigned as a teaching assistant to one of the S3P Courses: Math, Writing, or Lab Science (Computer Science in 2027).
  • Participate in 2 weeks of training (starting on June 21) to prepare for academic, residential, and leadership responsibilities
  • Work as a team with S3P faculty and staff to build academic, social, and professional programming
  • Serve in an RA capacity by living in the residence halls with students throughout the whole program
  • Support and comply with a substance-free program (includes alcohol and other drugs)

This is a full-time, live-in position.  Mentors cannot hold another paid or unpaid position during the program.

Applications 
  • Open on Tuesday, January 19, 2027.
  • Close on Sunday, February 14, 2027 at 4:59 pm EST.
  • Open to returning students, including first-years, sophomores, and juniors. Graduating seniors may not apply.
  • Application Requirements include transcript, resume, short essay questions, and two recommendations. One recommendation must come from a Swarthmore faculty member who is not part of the 2027 S3P Faculty & Staff team. (Please note: each recommender you identify will be asked to fill out a short recommendation form; they do not need to prepare a separate letter of recommendation.)
Subject Area Detail
  • S3P will hire a total of six Student Mentors for this summer, two each in the areas of Math, Writing, and Lab Science.
    • For the Math course, we are seeking Mentors who will have completed Math 15. Experience taking an additional math or stat course beyond Math 15 is a plus.
    • For the Writing course, we are seeking Mentors who have strong writing skills, demonstrated with an applicant's writing sample, and an interest in the writing process. Experience as a Writing Associate or SAM is a plus.
    • For the Lab Science (Computer Science focus) course, we are seeking Mentors who like to think and talk about science and are interested in helping students learn to think computationally and analyze data. Ideally, Mentors should be confident with basic CS ideas covered in CS 21 or a similar introductory course. Mentors should also be comfortable giving students feedback and helping students use a computing environment that is new to them (training will be provided). Prior experience as a peer assistant in a NSE department (e.g. Ninja, Catalyst, Alchemist, Photon, lab TA, etc.) is a plus.
    • For all positions, we also are looking for students who have experience working as resident assistants (RA), student academic mentors (SAM), Tri-Co summer resource persons (SRP), or peer mentors on or off campus.
Frequently Asked Questions

  • I like Writing, Math, AND Lab Science. Can I apply to support more than one subject? Absolutely! While you can apply to as many subjects as you'd like, Mentors will ultimately be assigned to a single subject team.

  • Is this job more like being an RA or a TA? Both! Mentors provide academic support in the classroom and in help sessions (like TAs) as well as social and emotional support to new students as they navigate Swarthmore and live in the residence halls (like RAs).

  • Where will I live during the program?  During this fully in-person, on-campus summer program, Mentors will live in the residence halls with the S3P Scholars. Each Mentor will have their own single room.

  • How much is the stipend? $6,000. S3P Mentors are paid the same amount as other summer opportunities.

  • Can I have another job during S3P? No; this is a full-time commitment, and Mentors must be available for program activities in the evenings and on the weekends.

  • I wasn’t an S3P Scholar. Will that negatively impact my application? Not at all! We are looking for Mentors with a diversity of experiences, and you don’t need to be an S3P alum to apply.

Do you have more questions?  Email us at summerscholars@swarthmore.edu.