What is STEMentors?

The STEMentors program provides academic, social, and wellness support to students in the introductory Stanford chemistry courses CHEM 31A, CHEM 31B, and CHEM 11 which are a key gateway into STEM majors. We provide participants with personalized mentorship and tutoring, support students with belonging and well-being, and connect them with opportunities and resources, both within their courses and throughout the university, that can help them thrive. Our program is open to everyone, but is especially targeted towards first-generation, low-income, and other students generally underrepresented in STEM fields, as well as students with less high school chemistry preparation. We specifically partner with the Leland Scholars Program and a number of past Scholars have participated in STEMentors as mentors and mentees. We are excited to see this program expanding into Physics and Biology as well!

Why join STEMentors?

Stanford University is an amazing place, filled with thoughtful people and new ideas that can enrich your life, help you grow and mature, and even change the way you see the world. 

At times, Stanford can also be deeply isolating. Navigating the academic, social, and emotional demands of higher education, in addition to the unique pressures and expectations of this university, can be hard. Many students wonder if they really belong here, struggle to find the right resources to help them when needed, feel overwhelmed by balancing school with jobs or athletics, and face unforeseen personal or familial difficulties. Everyone encounters challenges while at Stanford, but when you’re struggling, it can feel like you’re the only one. Although it can sometimes feel otherwise, a few things are clear:

You are not alone.

You are more than enough.

You belong here at Stanford and are a valuable part of the Stanford community.

You are strong and resilient, and can grow through seasons of struggle.

There are many people at Stanford, whether advisors, faculty, staff, mentors, or friends, who are deeply invested in your growth, success, and holistic well-being.

Many people at Stanford who you have yet to meet will become friends and mentors who can impact your life in profound ways.

In addition to this list of other Stanford resources, STEMentors is one place where you can find this type of supportive community. For more information about STEMentors and to learn about how to join, check out the other pages on this website.

Come join our community, we look forward to meeting you!  

More Information

Founded in 2020 by Dr. Jennifer Schwartz Poehlmann, Dory DeWeese, Professor Robert Waymouth, Professor Lynette Cegelski, and others in Stanford’s Chemistry Department, STEMentors has provided personalized mentorship and tutoring to nearly 400 students in the general chemistry courses CHEM 31A and CHEM 31B. In addition to dealing with wellness, belonging, and mental health, which have been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program provides assistance with course content and study skills, connects mentees with academic resources, and helps mentees get involved with clubs and research opportunities. This spring, STEMentors will also be expanding into Chem11 – Foundational Concepts and Study Skills for General Chemistry, which provides a new on-ramp to launch students into the general chemistry sequence in their second year.

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