The Student Services team is proud to share a new initiative on campus – the Pacifica Peer Mentorship Program! The Pacifica Peer Mentorship Program offers incoming graduate students guidance, support, and valuable connections to help navigate their first year of graduate studies. It offers continuing students a valuable opportunity to apply their experience from Pacifica to mentor incoming students from their same program.
Currently enrolled students who have completed a year of study can apply to become a mentor – the application period is open now. This is an impactful opportunity for current students to serve as a resource to new students and to share insights from their own experience at Pacifica. The mentee application will open for new admits in early summer and mentors and mentees will begin being paired in the summer months prior to the start of the new academic year. All current information, including application and mentorship guidelines, are on the webpage, which will be kept up-to-date as the program continues.
We hope that this new program fosters a sense of community, promotes academic success, improves attrition rates for first years, and enhances the overall graduate experience for both continuing and incoming students at Pacifica. If you have any questions about the Peer Mentorship Program, please contact Student Services at StudentServices@pacifica.edu.
Please note that for current students interested in receiving mentoring, Pacifica Extension and International Studies (PEIS) and Pacifica Alumni Connections are now partnering to offer a career-focused mentoring and webinar series, Careers In Depth. This complimentary series features PGI alums sharing their experience and expertise along with online mentoring circles where you will be able to connect with alums and fellow students. Learn more here.
Lauren Lastra, MPA, is Director of Student Services and Accreditation Deputy at Pacifica Graduate Institute who is committed to a just and mission-centered approach to organizational life. She has served as a member on several councils and committees, including Pacifica’s Diversity Task Force focused on Student Matters, the Diversity and Inclusion Council, and the President’s Task Force on Campus Climate and Employee Morale. She has worked at Pacifica since 2009 in various capacities, including as the Institute’s Sustainability Coordinator and in the Office of the President. Prior to coming to Pacifica, Lauren lived in the Valparaiso region of Chile where she worked as an Educator for the United Nations Development Program. Lauren actively serves as the current President and Founding Board Member of Santa Ynez Valley Pride and previously as a Board Director of People Helping People in Solvang, CA. She lives in Santa Ynez Valley with her wife, two children, and their rescue dog and cat.
Geovany “Geo” Lucero is the Student Services Coordinator at Pacifica. They are committed to serving students as a resource and amplifying DEI practices on campuses. Geo has over 4 years of experience in student affairs and enjoys being a part of people’s academic journey. Prior to working at Pacifica, they studied feminist studies (B.A.) at University of California, Santa Barbara. While attending UCSB, they were involved in student organizing, advocacy, and leadership throughout various campus organizations such as the Multicultural Center, Hermanas Unidas de UCSB, Associated Students and more. Their leadership as the 2021-22 Student Advocate General tackled areas such as: return-to-campus guidelines/COVID-19 policies, student housing crises, academic policy/procedure accountability, and student casework. They developed a passion for helping students navigate through their campus resources, programs, and policies in hopes of alleviating any pressures or roadblocks. They enjoy exploring restaurant recommendations, attending live shows/concerts, and adventuring nature with their two dogs, Sage and Gansito.
