Peer Mentoring at Scale

The Problem

Student retention is one of the most expensive problems in higher education, and one of the most preventable. At UC Irvine, first-generation students and those from underrepresented backgrounds were at higher risk of dropping out, often due to isolation and lack of access to peer support.

Existing mentorship programs were opt-in, hard to find, and chronically underutilized. Students who needed help most were least likely to seek it out.

The Solution

Built a peer mentorship portal that made matching automatic, proactive, and easy to access. The platform connected incoming students with near-peers who'd navigated similar challenges.

Key components:

• Matching algorithm pairing students based on major, background, and self-reported challenges
• Structured curriculum giving mentor-mentee pairs a framework for productive conversations
• Progress tracking letting program coordinators monitor engagement and intervene early
• Mobile-friendly interface designed for student usage patterns

The Results

• Launched peer mentorship portal at UC Irvine
• +20% improvement in student retention among program participants
• +40% improvement in course completion rates
• Proving that SaaS solutions can systematically improve student wellness and retention at scale