OURS309 - Peer Mentorship - Course-Based

OURS309: Peer Mentorship - Supporting Students In Course-Based Research is a one-credit peer mentorship experience that gives experienced undergraduate students a unique opportunity to further develop their leadership capacities while serving as Peer Learning Mentors to students in a UMD course.

Fall 2026: Applications are closed for Fall 2026.

What makes a good leader? A good educator? A good researcher? A good mentor? Together, we will discuss these topics and learn to apply research-based theories in the FIRE Semester 1 classroom to help you and your mentees maximize your growth together in FIRE.

So, let’s get meta about research, education, and mentorship in OURS309: Peer Mentorship - Supporting Students in Course-Based Research! To learn more, click on the tabs above.

How much time will it take?

Attend OURS 309 meetings on Mondays from 5-5:50 pm.
Complete ~1 hour of preparation, reading, and grading.
Spend 1 hour each week mentoring in the FIRE Semester 1 classroom.

What advantages will you get?

Obtain marketable experience for teaching assistantship opportunities on campus.
Strengthen your relationship with your FIRE Faculty Leader or establish a new relationship with a different stream’s FIRE Faculty Leader.
Develop skills in mentoring, leadership, teaching, and communication.
Gain new perspectives on interdisciplinary research and research education.
Engage with incoming FIRE Students and serve in a near-peer mentoring role.

What Will You Learn?

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

Demonstrate and execute authentic research practices to tackle real-world problems as a model to near-peer students.

Assist near-peers in building confidence as researchers and in acquiring and accessing resources needed to complete course-based undergraduate research.

Develop higher-order, impactful communication skills to convey concepts and processes while providing quality formative feedback to students.

Use self-assessment and reflective writing to evaluate and improve performance as a peer mentor.

Fall 2026: Applications are closed for Fall 2026.

Enrollment in the course requires a brief pre-enrollment step. The pre-enrollment form (below) is short and does not ask about previous academic experience or GPA.

Apply Here!

This form asks you for:

Information about you and your role in FIRE.
Your availability for FIRE Semester 1 sections and weekly Peer Learning Mentor meetings.
Your interest in serving as a Peer Learning Mentor.

Watch for these key dates for Fall 2027:

March 6, 2027, at 9:00 am: Application form opens.
April 5, 2027, at 11:59 pm: The deadline for submitting an application form.
April 10, 2027, at 5:00 pm: Notification of admission disseminated.

Applications are now closed for Fall 2026.

Who is eligible to apply to be a peer learning mentor?

We welcome applications from any of the following students:

current FIRE students
current FIRE Peer Research Mentors
current UMD FIRE alumni

What are the responsibilities and requirements for Peer Learning Mentors?

Please read What Will You Do on the About tab above.

How should I fill out the application if I don't know my Fall 2026 course schedule?

The application asks which FIRE Semester 1 course sections you can be a PLM for. If you are not sure of your Fall 2026 course schedule, please do your best to predict what your availability will be based on when the classes you need to take for the fall are.

Are you required to be a FIRE Semester 1 PLM to become a FIRE PRM (Peer Research Mentor)?

Becoming a Peer Research Mentor is separate from becoming a PLM. Being a PLM is neither required nor guarantees that your (possible) future PRM application will be accepted. PLMs are mentoring FIRE Semester 1 students. PRMs focus on research leadership and mentorship for those in FIRE Semesters 2 and 3 (and sometimes their fellow PRMs!).

Can you be both a PRM and a PLM in Fall 2026?

Yes, assuming you have space for both time commitments in your schedule.

Will students need to purchase any books for the course?
No. We will provide all necessary course materials.

Will there be exams or quizzes?

No. This course will not have exams or quizzes.

Applications are now closed for Fall 2026.

Why YOU (yes, you!) should apply to join OURS 309 in Fall 2026:

Are you a current or past FIRE student with the following qualities?

Willingness to learn and grow in a leadership role
Able to be punctual and present in a section of FIRE Semester 1
That's it! You will learn everything else you need to know in OURS 309!

Check out testimonials from the Fall 2025 cohort below!

“One barrier that almost kept me from applying was imposter syndrome. I wasn't sure if I was "experienced enough" or if I had all the answers students might ask. I crossed that barrier by realizing that being a PLM isn't about knowing everything but about being supportive, approachable, and honest about your own learning process. FIRE is built on growth, and I reminded myself that I had once been in their position too. “

- Nour Al Zamil

“Being a PLM showed me that I have what it takes to be a leader. If students were having trouble with team management, I could help them. I could answer any questions that they had. I was also always available to check on them, see if they needed any help, and just overall be of assistance. I am confident that I improved on my leadership skills through being a PLM.”

– Shayon Biswas

"At first, I was nervous to have students look to me as someone they can trust and come to for help. But then the more I got used to it, it started to make me feel confident in myself, and I actually started to really believe that I can be a role model for future researchers. "

– Kayniel Gooden

“Plenty of FIRE120 students are excited about research and to learn about the passions of their faculty leaders and PLMs. Being able to nerd out together and foster a genuine love for research in other students was a way for me to find purpose in pursuing my degree, which can sometimes feel like a slog of tough classes held in giant lecture halls. It was a great reminder of what I'm doing here at UMD and why I'm doing it. I highly recommend applying!”

- Defne Ustundag

"Being a PLM made me feel more at home in the broader FIRE community because it allowed me to really connect with so many amazing people. I really enjoyed everyone I met and loved every second of the experience, which reinforced that FIRE is a community I am very proud to be a part of!"

– Drew Abramowitz

Interested?

Questions about FIRE Peer Learning Mentors should be sent to Dr. Sara T. Strey (sstrey@umd.edu).