‘Under their wing’: the role of graduate students and co-curricular program in culturally and linguistically diverse undergraduate mentorship

Efforts to increase and diversify the racial and ethnic composition of student populations have been a central mission in higher education institutions. However, culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) undergraduate students at large research institutions face barriers for persistence through their baccalaureate programs. Graduate students, especially those engaged alongside undergraduates in structured institutional programs, may provide valuable academic and psychosocial support. This explorator case study aims to understand in what ways do CLD undergraduate students within a co-curricular service-learning program receive mentorship from graduate students? Participants are former undergraduate students who participated in a 15-week-long service-learning program and received graduate‑student mentorship. Findings suggest graduate students are accessible and readily available mentors who provide meaningful social, academic, and professional support. Implications for service-learning program and mentoring are discussed.