Please stay tuned for our 2024-2025 application launch in May!

2023-2024 Application Information Below

We’re recruiting for our next cohort of students for the Fall 2022 to Spring 2023 academic year! We are welcoming applications from all two- and four-year CUNY campuses, and we are particularly seeking candidates from Hostos Community College, Guttman Community College, Bronx Community College, and Queensborough Community College. Students receive $1,000 stipend for participating. Please circulate the call for applications below to students you know who might be interested in participating. 

CUNY Peer Leaders is a community-based program that welcomes 30–40 undergraduate students annually from across CUNY colleges. The program supports their leadership and mentorship skills, which they in turn use to create pathways for Humanities based scholarship with a core component on a culture of care and social justice. CUNY Peer Leaders develop year-long projects and create a portfolio of public writing pieces or other creative works on the program blog, with guidance from peers, staff and faculty. While striving toward shared goals, they develop transferable skills such as collaboration, learning with and from others, identifying needs and resources, and building trust. These accomplishments prepare CUNY Peer Leaders for success as students during their time at CUNY and beyond.

Given the current state of the pandemic, we are planning to have a hybrid program for the 2022–2023 academic year. This year’s program may change depending on developments at CUNY and in New York City more broadly. CUNY Peer Leaders are required to attend biweekly meet-ups (hybrid) on Friday afternoons, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, as well as workshops and events designed to build community and leadership skills, and support success in school and beyond. In addition, there is a mandatory day-long community building summer institute in August, where students learn about important resources and acquire vital skills that will aid them in their service as a CUNY Peer Leader. This is mandatory to attend in person unless otherwise noted, pending pandemic conditions. There will also be a few optional cultural enrichment activities (such as trips to a theater and/or a museum) that will be scheduled outside of these times.  In addition, Leaders will work on a year-long project that they will showcase in May. 

Students will receive a stipend of $1,000 for their participation (divided into two payments in October 2021 and February 2022), as well as support for transportation and cultural enrichment activities of the program if circumstances permit.

Participants of the CUNY Peer Leaders are also welcome to apply again. Payment for undocumented students is complicated, but we are committed to equitably funding these students. If you are undocumented and selected as a CUNY Peer Leader, you will need to coordinate with us on payment.