Providing Peer Mentoring Opportunities to Women of Color Through Dimensions

Serving as a peer mentor to Syracuse University’s undergraduate women of color means the world to Kamille Montgomery ’24.

When it comes to fostering a strong relationship between herself and her mentees, Montgomery understands that representation matters, and being able to relate to the students she advises is just as important as the advice being offered.

Montgomery and her fellow student mentors with Dimensions Mentoring Program—a peer-to-peer group designed to help women of color support and empower each other as they navigate their college journeys—have been helping first-year and transfer women of color successfully acclimate to life on campus through engaging programs and meaningful mentorship.

The result? Members of Dimensions form a true sisterhood and strengthen their leadership and professional development skills through weekly meetings that focus on pertinent topics like acclimating to college life, building community, setting goals, mental health awareness, career-oriented support and more.

“Dimensions offers a support system of people who are going through the same journey together. If I can provide advice and guidance for incoming first-year students, that’s such an important way to help out. Dimensions offers an opportunity to build those relationships and make students feel like they’re not alone on their journeys,” says Montgomery, an early childhood and special education major in the School of Education.

On Friday, Dimensions is holding its Women’s History Month reception from 4-6 p.m. in Room 304 ABC in the Schine Student Center. SU News sat down with Montgomery to learn more about the powerful impact of Dimensions, where her passion for education came from and how she will put her degree to use in the City of Syracuse through the Baldanza Fellows program.