The Esprit de Corps Program
Esprit de Corps means "spirit of the group". If you've ever been on a sports team that had great morale and team spirit, you've experienced esprit de corps. It is a shared spirit of camaraderie, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group.
The Esprit de Corps Program is a near-peer mentorship initiative that fosters a supportive community for first-year PhD students whose varied experiences and perspectives are vital to advancing inclusive excellence in science. The program seeks to include students who are the first in their family to attend college, those who have experienced socioeconomic disadvantage, individuals from under-resourced educational backgrounds, persons with disabilities, and those whose lived or chosen experiences reflect a strong commitment to addressing the needs of marginalized or underserved communities. We also value the determination of individuals who have overcome significant challenges in pursuit of graduate education. All candidates who believe they meet this description are encouraged to apply.
Senior student mentors (year 2+) support 1st year PhD students navigate graduate school during their first year, while building community among our Tri-I community.
Benefits
All members:
- Receive specialized mentorship on navigating graduate school from trained peer mentors (current PhD students from 2nd-year and above).
- Build a community among a cohort of Tri-I students.
- Find the support and resources necessary to propel your academic and scientific career forward.
Curriculum
Seminars
- Strategies for Success: Navigating Your 1st Year
- How to Choose a Lab
- How to put together an IDP?
- Strategies for Resilience
- Handling Tricky Situations with Your Mentor
- Financial Literacy (with personal advisement)
*Seminars are open to all students
Community
Esprit de Corps is centered on a supportive community. Community is developed through activities that foster collaboration and facilitate interaction. These activities include regular social events sponsored by the Office of Student Diversity, peer mentoring, and a retreat that integrates members into the larger tri-institutional community.
Esprit de Corps Outing
Eligibility
To join the Esprit de Corps Program as a mentee:
- You must be an incoming 1st year PhD student at Weill Cornell Graduate School, the Tri-Institutional Chemical Biology or Computational Biology Program
- Be committed to supporting peers and fostering a sense of community
- Attend the professional and career development sessions throughout the year
- Meet monthly with your near Peer-Mentor
- Be committed to mentoring incoming 1st year cohorts
To join as a Esprit de Corps Program as a near Peer-Mentor:
- You must have successfully completed your first year of graduate training
- Attend the Peer-mentor Training Session offered early in the Fall Semester
- Attend the Esprit de Corps Meet your Match session
- Join Esprit de Corps community-building activities
- Meet with your mentee on a monthly basis
To Join Esprit de Corps
As a mentee:
All Weill Cornell Graduate School and Tri-Institutional 1st year PhD students are invited to join via email early in the summer. Space is limited, but we do our best to try to accommodate as many participants as possible.
If you cannot find or did not receive this invitation, you can apply here.
As a near Peer-Mentor:
If you would like to join as a near peer-mentor, you can apply: here.
If you have any questions - reach out at wcgsdiversity&outreach@med.cornell.edu.