Adelante Mentorship & Leadership Program

The Adelante Mentorship & Leadership Program is a First-Year-Experience Program designed to support Latinx/a/o First-Time-Frosh with their transition from high school to college. As a mentee, student participants are paired with a peer mentor who will guide and support their journey at SJSU during their first year. In addition to peer mentorship support, Adelante mentees receive access to academic advising, faculty mentorship, personal counseling, career preparation, academic skills workshops, community-building activities, and leadership development opportunities. 

To learn more about the program, watch the video below:

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all criteria to be eligible to participate in the Adelante program:

  • Be a first-generation college student (neither parent/guardian have earned a Bachelor's degree in the United States)
  • Have high financial need (as determined by FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application. This information will be verified and we may ask you for additional documentation.)
  • Be a first-year student (frosh) starting at SJSU Fall 2023.
  • Must NOT be participating in any other SJSU mentorship programs such as EOP, SSS TRiO, MESA Engineering Program(MEP), or the College of Education's Promise Program.
  • Commit to attending all of the Adelante program components for the entire academic year (see components list below). 

What will I gain from joining the Adelante Program?

  • A community of Latinx/a/o staff, professors, and student peer supporters and mentors that are committed to your success.
  • A deeper understanding of how your Community Cultural Wealth–the knowledge, expertise, strengths, and abilities that you bring with you from your community and home to SJSU, can be leveraged to support your success.
  • Positive relationships with students, advisors, counselors, and professors who will help you become socially and academically integrated into the SJSU culture and community.
  • Strategies to navigate the SJSU campus, including how to connect with key support resources, services, and people.
  • Opportunities to develop leadership skills that will enhance your success inside and outside of the classroom.
  • Employment opportunites ( must be eligible to work in the U.S.) to work at the Centro during your sophomore year. 

Program Components
Students who are accepted into the program commit to participating in ALL of the following components for the entire 2023-24 academic year:

  • 45-minute to 1-hour weekly in-person meetings with an assigned peer mentor. 12 meetings total per semester.
  • A minimum of one meeting with a Centro academic advisor liaison per semester
  • A minimum of one meeting with Centro's Career Center advisor liaison per semester;
  • A minimum of one meeting with a Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) Counselor
  • Attendance at two Centro sponsored events or workshops per semester
  • Attendance at community-building socials facilitated by the Adelante Peer Mentors

Application Dates & Deadlines

If you are interested in applying to this opportunity, complete the Adelante Application Form by 11:59 pm (PST) on Monday, July 31, 2023. You must use your SJSU account to log-in and access the application. Applicants will receive an application status update no later than Friday, August 4, 2023. Selected applicants will be required to attend an in-person 1-hour orientation on Saturday, August 26 from 11am-12:30pm. 

We look forward to your application! 


For questions, email the Program Director, Lilly Pinedo Gangai, at lilly.gangai@sjsu.edu.