Graduate Peer Mentors
As a student, it helps to have the support and encouragement of a near peer that has experiences similar to your own. Undergraduate students that are interested in (or already are) working with faculty on original research and creative works projects can benefit from the advice the CSR Graduate Peer Mentors can offer!
What can a Peer Mentor Do for Me?
Our Peer Mentors are available to answer your questions about the research and scholarship process. They have the experience and training to answer questions such as:
- “What is the timeline for my research goal and how can I balance that with my other obligations?
- “Will I get paid to work on research, or am I eligible for a special scholarship?”
- “How do I approach a mentor who can oversee my work and give me lab experience?”
Our mentors are also skilled in professional development as students who have been successful reaching graduate programs in their chosen field. Ask them things like:
- “How do I even begin to write a personal statement?”
- “What career opportunities exist if I don’t want to attend graduate school?”
- “How do I pass the LSAT/MCAT/GRE ahh! Or, wait, do I really need to take the test?”
Meet our mentors
Branden Schaff CSR Program Developer
Branden Schaff, B.A., is a second-year graduate student in clinical psychology. Branden attended his undergraduate education at Truman State University, where he managed the Center for Applied Psychophysiology with Dr. Fred Shaffer. Working with Dr. Rachel Weiskittle, he is pursuing his research interest in the treatment of older adult loneliness, especially as it pertains to minority status. Invested in the education and promotion of psychological science, Branden works as an assistant for the Geropsychology Podcast. He is also the Center for Student Research Peer Advocate Program Developer, seeking to help build a research community for undergraduates at UCCS.
Andre Jordan
Undergraduate Degree: BA in Sport Management
Graduate Program: Leadership with emphasis in Student Affairs in Higher Education
Research Interests: "Early alert" students, academic advising
What I can help you with:
1. College of Education interests (teaching, counseling, and leadership
2. Graduate school advice
3. Stress management
Favorite activity to do outside of research: Basketball: playing, watching, officiating
Brandon Collins
Undergraduate Degree: BS in Computer Science
Graduate Program: PhD Security Engineering
Research Interests: Game Theory, Multiagent Systems
What can I help you with:
1. Research as an Undergraduate
2. Computer Science graduate school applications
3. Bioinformatics
4. Computational and Theoretical Research
Favorite activity to do outside of research and school? I enjoy racket sports like tennis, table tennis, badminton as well as hiking!
Colleen Mock
Undergraduate Degree: BS in Psychology, minor in Criminal Justice; MA in Clinical Psychology
Graduate Program: Clinical Psychology PhD Program, Geropsychology Specialization
Research Interests: Older Adults, Suicidal Ideation, Personality, Death Anxiety, Intrapersonal Functioning
What I can help you with:
1. Navigating being a first-generation student or having other barriers to education (SES, justice involvement, etc.)
2. Time management
3. SPSS navigation
4. Psychology graduate school admissions
5. Career and graduate school alternatives
6. Fostering professional relationships
Favorite activity to do outside of research: Engaging with nature (and thrift shopping!)
Emma Schmidt
Undergraduate Degree: BS in Atmospheric Physics
Graduate Program: Doctorate in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Interests: Solid rocket propellant combustion, computational methods
What I can help you with:
1. Scholarship and graduate school applications in engineering, mathematics, and physics
2. Oral and poster presentations
3. Internship applications and professional development opportunities in defense and national security
4. Computational methods and theory for fluid-thermal systems
5. Applied mathematics
Favorite activity to do outside of research: Painting and making paper flowers.
Ikenna Ozor
Undergraduate Degree: BS in Biology
Graduate Program: MA in Cellular and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Microtubule damage checkpoints, CRISPR, Yeast
What I can help you with:
1. Biological research techniques
2. Tool usage
3. Understanding the role of a masters-level graduate student
4. Troubleshooting
5. Student habits for success
Favorite activity to do outside of research: Play basketball and video games. I'm at the Rec Center a lot!
Keara Werth
Undergraduate Degree: BA in Psychology & Criminal Justice
Graduate Program: Psychological Science M.A.
Research Interests: Criminal psychology, mass violence, impression management, risk assessment, psychopathology, development
What I can help you with:
1. Methodological design
2. Statistical design
3. Statistics
4. Research manuscript writing/editing
5. Research supervision
6. IRB Applications
7. Conference submissions
8. Graduate School Admissions
Favorite activity to do outside of research: I enjoy attending drag shows with my friends!
Lindsey Visscher
Undergraduate Degree: BA in Integrative Physiology
Graduate Program: Health Promotion
Research Interests: Health behavior change, motivation, social connection, wellness
What can I help you with:
1. Qualitative research
2. Time management techniques
3. Theory-based research design
4. Writing, poster design, public speaking/presentation skills
Favorite activity to do outside of research and school? I love finding new ways to stay active. Pool-side yoga and Jiu Jitsu have been my favorite physical activity staples this summer.
Megan Wendling
Undergraduate Degree: BA in Psychology
Graduate Program: Clinical Psychology - Trauma Track
Research Interests: PTSD, sexual assault, resilience, meaning-making (as it relates to trauma)
What I can help you with:
1. Writing
2. Goal setting
3. Scheduling management
4. Work life balance
5. Graduate school application and preparation
6. Networking
7. Qualitative/quantitative research
8. Stress management
Favorite activity to do outside of research: Outside of school and research, I love to travel, see live music, handout with friends, and try new restaurants/bars!
Tristan Paul
Undergraduate Degree: BS and MS in Physics, minors in Math and Astronomy
Graduate Program: Applied Physics
Research Interests: Optics, Instrumentation, Microscopy, Interdisciplinary, Nanotech
What I can help you with:
1. Applying and preparing for graduate school
2. Experimental design
3. Living with ADHD/neurodivergence in academia
4. Lab instruction/design
5. Research presentations
6. Data analysis
Favorite activity to do outside of research: I relax by playing all sorts of games including video games, D&D, and Magic: The Gathering
Tiffany Lundberg
Undergraduate Degree: BS in Biochemistry with Minor in Geology
Graduate Program: MSc in Biochemistry
Research Interests: Genomic organization and chromatin remodeling. Studying how differences in genomic structure has changed between closely related species.
What I can help you with:
1. Research as an undergraduate
2. Biochemistry/chemistry opportunities as an undergrad and graduate
3. Navigating college as a on-traditional student
4. Work-life-school balance
5. Veteran benefits
Favorite activity to do outside of research: I enjoy hiking with my family and friends. I also love the never-ending battle to DIY landscape my yard.
Jon Sundby
Undergraduate Degree: BA in Political Science and Policy Studies
Graduate Program: MA in Clinical Psychology
Research Interests: Death Anxiety, Existential Psychology, Older Adults, Homelessness
What I can help you with:
1. Writing
2. Navigating the research process
3. Graduate school admissions
4. Research into fellowships
5. Gap year(s) planning
6. Personal statements and admission essays
7. Guidance on research mentors
8. Goal planning
Favorite activity to do outside of research: When I'm not thinking about research, I'm thinking about my next cooking "project".
Now Recruiting Peer Mentors!
Want to Join the Graduate Peer Mentor Program?
The Center for Student Research is seeking to recruit graduate students from a variety of disciplines to serve as near-peer mentors for undergraduates. Students interested in research or creative works or those already involved in them will be able to request a 30-min meeting with a peer mentor to discuss different topics related to research, creative works, and graduate school pursuits. We intend for the peer mentors to serve and inspirational role models for undergraduates and provide informational and social peer support to those that contact them. Each peer mentor will receive training on mentoring best-practices including active listening, interpersonal communication, setting ground rules and trust building, and implicit bias mitigation as well as on-and off campus resources to help support their mentees.
Who can be a peer mentor?
All graduate students are welcome serve as peer mentors. The CSR will also consider advanced undergraduate students as well to serve in this role to mentor novice undergraduate students. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a peer mentor, please contact Branden Schaff at bschaff@uccs.edu today!