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Freshman Mentor Program


The UT Dallas Freshman Mentor Program is most certainly in its Giving Era. Those who donate $25 to the Freshman Mentor Program during the 2025 Comets Giving Days will receive a signature program-branded owl plushie! 


“Being a part of the Freshman Mentor Program is like being a part of a family. By being

part of such an amazing program, one is able to truly bond with others, find similar-

minded peers, experience new opportunities, and find a sense of strength during turbulent

times. This program is simply amazing, and whether you are a mentor or mentee, you are

able to truly benefit and find joy.” 

- AY24 mentor

 

Funds raised for the Freshman Mentor Program during the 2025 Comets Giving Days will provide life-changing travel opportunities for student participants to build their peer mentoring and leadership skills.

In January 2025, a team of Freshman Mentor Program students were able to attend the annual NASPA Strategies Peer Education Conference in Boston, MS, “to be inspired, share ideas, and build exceptional peer education programs promoting strategies in health, safety, and student leadership.” 

Being surrounded by passionate professionals and students who are committed to making a difference in higher education was inspiring. The location and environment was full of energy, and I appreciated the opportunity to represent UTD and learn alongside my TMP and FMP peers. It was not only a chance to grow personally and professionally, but also a reminder of the importance of community and support systems in academic spaces.” 

– UT Dallas transfer student conference attendee

The Freshman Mentor Program (FMP) strives to cultivate an environment of student leadership through mentoring that assists freshmen with the transition to college life and fosters a strong sense of belonging through academic engagement, social involvement, and community service. 

College presents many challenges, both academically and socially. The Freshman Mentor Program was created to connect incoming students with current UT Dallas students. Mentees who choose to join the Freshman Mentor Program are paired with a student mentor to help ease the transition to UT Dallas, specifically during their first two semesters at the University. Peer mentors at UT Dallas work to support new students in the following three areas: leadership development, academic support and social engagement. In addition to providing personalized support for each mentee, the Freshman Mentor Program hosts service, academic and social events throughout the year to help participants engage with campus and the program more deeply.

Throughout the life of The Freshman Mentor Program, mentees report that their experience strengthened their sense of belonging as a new UT Dallas student. And mentors consistently report that their mentoring opportunity contributed to their sense of legacy at UT Dallas. Mentees and mentors alike historically experience stronger GPA and persistence outcomes than their non-participating peers. These annual trends are markers of the significant impact a program like the Freshman Mentor Program can have in the life of an undergraduate student.


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Student Power Hours (Day 1)
Celebrate during Comet Sing with us! When the event closes, all student gifts, $2 to $25 will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $2,500 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Not sure where to give? Check out the Comet Cupboard, Student Emergency Fund, Basic Needs Resource Center and International Student Emergency Fund to make an impact.
$1,075 MATCHED
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Soon-to-be Alumni Match
Are you graduating in spring 2025? We've got a special match just for you! All gifts of $2 to $25 given by spring 2025 grads will be doubled, up to $2,500.
$1,226 MATCHED
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Faculty and Staff Workday Power Hours
Are you ready for it, UTD employees? On April 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., all faculty and staff gifts of $9 to $25 will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $2,500. Now is the time to double your impact!
$2,500 MATCHED
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Center for Children and Families (CCF) Staff Match
The Center for Children and Families Staff will match all gifts up to $90!
$90 MATCHED
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Student Match Day 2
Students, this one's for you on day 2! All student gifts of $2-25 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to a total of $2,500 today!
$2,500 MATCHED
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Double Up Alumni Match
Let's double up! All Alumni gifts ($2-$50) given from 1-5 p.m. will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $2,500!
$2,500 MATCHED
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$100
SME Challenge
When 25 unique donors give to the Department Science Mathematics Education on Comets Giving Days, an additional $100 will be unlocked!
25 / 25 Donors
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Success!
Reputation Concert
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we close out the ninth annual Comets Giving Days on April 10. Celebrate the incredible impact giving days has on our students and campus with our first-ever giving days concert featuring Reputation: A Tribute to the Music of Taylor Swift! To RSVP visit https://alumni.utdallas.edu/connect/events/.
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1st Gift Bonus
Congrats to our first gift bonus winner, Rithvik Kaniganti and Dallas Formula Racing! !
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883rd Gift Bonus
Congrats to our 883rd gift bonus winner, Susan and Scott Heimbuch and the Student Emergency Fund.
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2,025 Gift Bonus
Congrats to William Davis and Dallas Formula Racing!
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Success!
#COMETogetherUTD Challenge
Our hashtag usage this year was something that's worth celebrating! Each of these groups will be receiving an additional $250 in bonus funds: Comet Cupboard, Interdisciplinary Studies, Basic Needs Resource Center, Dallas Formula Racing, Bass School, and Callier Center!
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Last Gift Bonus
Om Davra was our last donor at 6:48....Comet Robotics will be receiving an additional $250 in bonus funds!
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Light Up the Map Challenge
Calling alumni and friends from all 50 states! When the U.S. map is filled with a gift from every state, two $500 bonus funds will be awarded. The bonus fund winners — one student organization and one departmental group — will be announced during the Reputation concert on April 10.
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Leaderboard
Top UTD Department Leaderboard - Unique Donors
Help your favorite UTD Department rise to the top of this leaderboard, and they will win $500. Make sure you note that this leaderboard is for our crowd of unique donors.
Rank Prize Department Donors
1 $500 Comet Cupboard 195
2 $250 Bass School of Arts, Humanities and Technology 139
3 $100 Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science 112
4 Natural Science and Mathematics 88
5 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 87
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Leaderboard
18 Gifts by 4 p.m.
Let's keep a good thing going. All groups that receive at least 18 gifts by 4 p.m. on day one (April 9) will be eligible to win an additional $250 in bonus funds. Winner will be chosen at random.
Rank Group Gifts
1 Comet Cupboard 108
2 Dallas Formula Racing 44
3 Jindal School of Management 34
4 Comet Robotics 34
5 Center for BrainHealth 31
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Leaderboard
Undergrad/Grad Leaderboard
It's a competition of the eras! Let's see who shines this Comets Giving Days with the most alumni, undergraduate vs. graduate degrees!
What degree did you receive from UT Dallas?
Rank Answer Donors
1 Bachelors 190
2 Masters 132
3 PhD 37
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Leaderboard
Midnight Magic Leaderboard
The group that receives the most gifts from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. will receive an additional $$$!
Rank Prize Group Gifts
1 $250 Comet Robotics 146
2 $100 RoboSub 57
3 $50 Dallas Formula Racing 35
4 Indian Students Association 24
5 Visual and Performing Arts 13
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Leaderboard
45 Gifts by 10 a.m.
All groups who have received a minimum of 45 gifts before 10 a.m. on April 10 will be eligible to receive a randomly selected $250 in bonus funds!
Rank Department Gifts
1 Comet Robotics 192
2 Comet Cupboard 137
3 Dallas Formula Racing 102
4 RoboSub 68
5 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 62
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Leaderboard
63 Gifts by 4 p.m.
All groups who have received a minimum of 63 gifts before 4 p.m. on April 10 will be eligible to receive a randomly selected $250 in bonus funds!
Rank Department Gifts
1 Comet Robotics 271
2 Dallas Formula Racing 197
3 Comet Cupboard 169
4 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 91
5 Indian Students Association 80
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Leaderboard
Afternoon Pick Me Up Leaderboard
The Group that gets the most gifts during this afternoon pick me up, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. will receive an additional $500 in bonus funds!
Rank Prize Department Gifts
1 $500 Dallas Formula Racing 93
2 Comet Robotics 75
3 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 19
4 Comet Cupboard 17
5 Alumni Association 13
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Alumni Power Hours
Alumni are fearless supporters of Comets Giving Days, helping lead the way for the next generation of Comets! All alumni gifts of $9 to $25 made on April 9 from 6-10 p.m. will receive a dollar-to-dollar match, up to $2,500. Double your impact with this match and help your favorite group reach the top of the alumni leaderboard.
$775 MATCHED
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A LOT OF GIVING GOING ON CONCERT MATCH
From 5 to 6:49 p.m. on April 10, all gifts ($2 to $55) will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $2,500! Help make the end of our giving era legendary!
$2,500 MATCHED
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Parent Match
Parents it's your time to shine! All parent gifts of $9 to $25, given on April 9-10, will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $1,000.
$1,000 MATCHED
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Faculty/Staff Match
THIS JUST IN: Our staff and faculty and showing up and showing out on this stage. We've got a generous matching challenge for the next two hours (2-5 p.m.). All gifts of $9-25 given by staff and faculty will be matched dollar for dollar, up to a total of $1,000, if given before 5 p.m. today!
$1,000 MATCHED
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Faculty and Staff Match Day 2
Faculty and Staff let's keep rocking! All gifts of $9-25 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to a total of $2,500 today!
$2,500 MATCHED
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$25,000
Jindal School Alumni Challenge
When 25 Jindal School unique alumni make a gift to the Jindal School on Comets Giving Days, an additional $25,000 will be unlocked and given to a Jindal School Fellowship, thanks to the support of the Friends of Fu Jen Catholic University
25 / 25 Donors
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Door Decorating Contest
Congrats to our door decorating contest winners! Comet Cupboard, Dallas Formula Racing and Student Wellness Center will all be receiving $100 each in bonus fuds!
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#InMyGivingEra Kickoff Bingo and Breakfast
Thank you to everyone who attended the kickoff breakfast! Congrats to our BINGO winners who selected the following groups for bonus funds: Bass School ($250), Pep Band ($1050), Basic Needs Resource Center ($200), Student Emergency Fund ($250).
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Success!
55th Gift Bonus
Congrats to our 55th gift bonus winner, Cynthia Heyn and Comet Cupboard!
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Success!
1,969 Gift Bonus
Congrats to our 1969th gift bonus winner, Connor Myers and Dallas Formula Racing!
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Success!
Comet Caller Challenge
Thanks to our amazing student callers, an additional $750 will be going to the Comet Cupboard!
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#InMyGivingEra Challenge
Our Giving Era has been our best era! Congrats to these groups that will be winning an additional $250 in bonus funds: Student Emergency Fund, Honors College, Interdisciplinary Studies, SME, and Ackerman Center. Congrats!
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Success!
Chiloso Lunch and Learn Bonus
Enjoy a complimentary lunch provided by Chiloso! Join us for this student, pre-registration-required event on April 9 to learn more about Comets Giving Days and all the ways to participate as well as hear from the UCC team about how to negotiate your best salary. Registration is taking place on Handshake and will close when the event reaches 100 registrants. By attending this event, you will also be eligible to win your group $250 in bonus funds!
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Leaderboard
Academic Departments and Programs Bonus
For every group on this leaderboard who reaches their goal, an additional $100 will be given to that department/program!
Rank Departments/Programs % +/- Goal
1 Comet Cupboard +95.00% 195
goal: 100
2 Undergraduate Success Scholars +40.00% 35
goal: 25
3 International Center +40.00% 35
goal: 25
4 First-Generation Student Programs -20.00% 20
goal: 25
5 Graduate Student Emergency Fund -40.00% 15
goal: 25
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Leaderboard
9 Gifts By Noon
Each group that has a minimum of nine gifts by noon on day one (April 9) will be eligible to receive an additional $250 in bonus funds. The winner will be chosen at random.
Rank Group Gifts
1 Comet Cupboard 50
2 Dallas Formula Racing 29
3 Comet Robotics 29
4 Jindal School of Management 17
5 Center for BrainHealth 15
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Leaderboard
27 Gifts by 10 p.m.
Whether you've hit the first two milestones of the day or not, no one is counted out! All groups who have received a minimum of 27 gifts before 10 p.m. on day one (April 9) will be eligible to receive a randomly selected $250 in bonus funds!
Rank Department Gifts
1 Comet Robotics 129
2 Comet Cupboard 127
3 Dallas Formula Racing 73
4 Athletics 43
5 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 43
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Leaderboard
Reputation Concert Leaderboard (Donors)
The group that receives the most donors from 5 to 6:49 p.m. on April 10 will receive an additional $500 in bonus funds and we now will have a 2nd and 3rd place winner as well!
Rank Prize Group Donors
1 $500 Dallas Formula Racing 32
2 $250 Comet Robotics 20
3 $100 Athletics 14
4 Comet Cupboard 12
5 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 10
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Leaderboard
36 Gifts by 6 a.m.
Whether you've hit the first three milestones of the day or not, no one is counted out! All groups who have received a minimum of 36 gifts before 6 a.m. on April 10 will be eligible to receive a randomly selected $250 in bonus funds!
Rank Department Gifts
1 Comet Robotics 190
2 Comet Cupboard 128
3 Dallas Formula Racing 99
4 RoboSub 68
5 Indian Students Association 54
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Leaderboard
54 Gifts By 2 p.m.
All groups who have received a minimum of 54 gifts before 2 p.m. on April 10 will be eligible to receive a randomly selected $250 in bonus funds!
Rank Department Gifts
1 Comet Robotics 196
2 Comet Cupboard 152
3 Dallas Formula Racing 104
4 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 72
5 RoboSub 72
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Leaderboard
72 Gifts by 6:49 p.m.
All groups who have received a minimum of 72 gifts before 6:49 p.m. on April 10 will be eligible to receive a randomly selected $250 in bonus funds!
Rank Department Gifts
1 Comet Robotics 333
2 Dallas Formula Racing 249
3 Comet Cupboard 185
4 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 114
5 Indian Students Association 89
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Leaderboard
REPUTATION CONCERT LEADERBOARD (GIFTS)
The group that receives the most donors from 5 to 6:49 p.m. on April 10 will receive an additional $500 in bonus funds.
Rank Prize Department Gifts
1 $500 Comet Robotics 62
2 $250 Dallas Formula Racing 47
3 $100 Athletics 18
4 Comet Cupboard 12
5 Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies 10
Ended
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