Fostering the growth of CDSS student leaders
CDSS Hello World is a semester-long initiative that fosters growth, connection, and success for incoming students. Through personalized peer mentor support and access to CDSS Student Services, Hello World helps students navigate opportunities, build community, and connect with resources tailored to their individual goals and needs. Along the way, mentees build genuine connections with mentors and fellow students, friendships, and networks that often last throughout their time at CDSS and beyond.
Program goals
For Mentees
- Receive ongoing mentorship from a peer mentor
- Learn about and access resources
- Help build your CDSS community
- Participate in professional development, academic success, and wellness workshops
- Learn about essential resources and cultural knowledge needed to thrive at Berkeley and beyond
For Mentors
- Expand students’ academic, professional, and social networks
- Provide students with meaningful opportunities to share and celebrate their cultural knowledge
- Empower students to strengthen their leadership skills
- Offer students the opportunity to give back and pay it forward
- Peer mentors participate in training sessions that equip them with the tools, guidance, and confidence they need to support their mentees throughout summer and fall semesters effectively
Program structure
Orientation
Hello World offers online meetings during the summer in anticipation of a kick-off event at the start of the school year. The kickoff event provides an opportunity for all mentors and mentees to meet in person through informative and fun activities. In addition, students are introduced to faculty members, lead mentors, and program managers – the people who will be advocating for student success.
Group mentoring
Our goal is to enrich incoming students’ social experience with a cohort of 5 to 8 students led by a peer mentor. Throughout their first fall semester, Hello World participants come together for group mentoring to develop a sense of community, share resources, and address challenges. This collaborative approach strengthens the network of support for all students involved. These sessions focus on setting goals, discussing opportunities, providing encouragement, and offering peer-driven advice to support academic and personal success.
Workshops and community-building events
Both mentors and mentees participate in workshops and events designed to foster professional and academic growth. These opportunities also help build community, facilitate networking, and introduce fun, engaging activities to enhance student life.
How to Apply
The CDSS Hello World mentor application and mentee interest form are open between April and August each year. Please read the requirements listed on the applications carefully.
For questions, please contact hello-world@berkeley.edu.
Ali Trejo
"Being part of Hello World facilitated my transition as I entered my first semester as a re-entry student and transfer. Change and challenge often bring doubt, especially as a parent, because I am not only shifting my own reality but also my children’s. Navigating this transition requires courage, and there were moments when I questioned whether I was making the right decisions.
My mentor, Anara, was undeniably a pillar for our group. She not only represented us as transfer students but fully embodied her role as someone we could rely on at any time. Hello World grounded us and reconnected us to the importance of intentionally creating space for each other and for mentorship."