Help CNRE Students Thrive with Peer Mentorship

At the College of Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE), we believe student success starts with strong, consistent support. From their first steps on campus to their final job interviews, our students benefit from a network of guidance that spans academic advising, career planning, and peer mentoring.

The Advising and Career Center serves as the heart of this network. Staffed by five experienced advisors, the center helps students with everything from course selection to overcoming academic challenges. But one of its most impactful initiatives is the CNRE Academic Mentor Program (CAMP).

CAMP connects first-year students with a group of 11 trained upperclassmen who serve as peer mentors. These mentors build relationships with new students before they even arrive on campus—offering support through summer outreach, welcome events, and workshops focused on academic and career success.

Why it matters:

• First-year students with a peer mentor are 10% more likely to stay enrolled through their second term.
• They experience an average 0.4 GPA boost in their first semester.
• Mentorship promotes a deeper sense of belonging, one of the top predictors of student retention and success.

CAMP not only supports first-year students but also helps mentors grow. Participants report significant gains in professional competencies like critical thinking and leadership—skills that will serve them well beyond graduation.

Your gift to the CNRE CAMP program helps ensure every student has the tools, confidence, and community they need to succeed.

Give today and be the reason a student stays, grows, and thrives at Virginia Tech.