Adelante Mentorship & Leadership Program

The ¡Adelante! Mentorship & Leadership Program is a first-year experience program designed to support first-time freshmen and new transfer students as they transition to San José State University.

Students are paired with a trained peer mentor who provides guidance, encouragement, and support throughout their first year. In addition to peer mentoring, participants engage in a seminar series and receive access to academic support, mental health and wellness resources, career exploration, leadership development opportunities, campus resource navigation, and a community of support committed to their success.

Adelante centers the experiences, strengths, and cultural wealth of Latinx students while welcoming all eligible students who are interested in being part of a culturally responsive community that supports academic achievement, leadership development, and belonging at SJSU.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all criteria to be eligible to participate in the Adelante program:

  • Be a newly admitted undergraduate student at SJSU beginning Fall 2026. Eligible students include first-time freshmen and incoming transfer students.
  • Be a first-generation college student; Students whose parent(s) or guardian(s) have not completed a four-year college degree in the United States.
  • Demonstrate financial need. Students must have a 2026-2027 FAFSA or CADAA on file. If you have not filed an application for this academic year, please visit the CSU Financial Aid information website to learn more about how to apply.
  • Not participating in another SJSU First-Year Experience or peer mentoring program. Students may not be concurrently enrolled in another structured first-year experience or campus peer mentoring program (Example: Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), First Year Experience (FYE) Program, TRiO Program, College of Education Promise Program, Indigenous Scholars Sustaining Knowledge (SKO) Mentorship Program, Asian Pacific Islander Empower Mentorship Program(API EM), Black Alliance of Mentorship (BAM) Program, MESA Engineering Program (MEP)).
  • Commit to full participation in Adelante program components: Students are expected to participate in mentoring, seminars, program events, and required engagement activities.

What will I gain from joining the Adelante Program?

  • A community of Latinx/a/o staff, professors, and student peer supporters and mentors that are committed to your success.
  • A deeper understanding of how your Community Cultural Wealth–the knowledge, expertise, strengths, and abilities that you bring with you from your community and home to SJSU, can be leveraged to support your success.
  • Positive relationships with students, advisors, therapists, and professors who will help you become socially and academically integrated into the SJSU culture and community.
  • Strategies to navigate the SJSU campus, including how to connect with key support resources, services, and people.
  • Opportunities to develop leadership skills that will enhance your success inside and outside of the classroom.

Program Components

Students who are accepted into the program commit to participating in ALL of the following components for the entire 2026-27 academic year:

  • Weekly Mentor Check-ins: Students meet with peer mentors for guidance, relationship-building, campus navigation, academic support, and resource referrals.
  • Welcome Orientation: Introduces students and their families/support networks to Adelante.
  • 6 Themed Adelante Success Sessions per Semester: Interactive sessions focused on cultural wealth, academic success, campus navigation, financial wellness, leadership, career exploration, and civic engagement.
  • Academic, Career, and Wellness Drop-In Hours: Dedicated one-on-one support with university professional staff to help students navigate academic success, career exploration, personal wellness, and connections to campus resources. 
  • Community Engagement: Students complete two community engagement experiences that promote leadership, civic responsibility, and meaningful connections with the community.
  • Cultural and Academic Enrichment Trips: Off-campus experiences that expand students' cultural awareness, academic learning, and career exploration.

Application Dates & Deadlines

To be considered, students must submit an application by Sunday, August 2, 2026 at 11:59pm (PST).  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

A mandatory orientation will take place on Monday, August 17, 4-6pm.

Apply to Adelante Today!

Have questions? Reach out to us! by emailing us at chicanxlatinxssc@sjsu.edu or by scheduling a virtual appointment with a Centro Student Success Leader for additional guidance. You can also check out our Adelante Frequently Asked Questions.

Adelante Virtual Summer Office Hours

We look forward to your application!