Roughly one in five Chicago Public Schools graduates enroll in two-year colleges, and 88% of those attending City Colleges of Chicago are Black or Latinx. For these students, transferring to a four-year university is a critical but difficult step. Transfer students lose more than one in five earned credits, and first-generation students and students of color are least likely to persist and transfer. In computer science, where Black, Latinx, and women graduates are already underrepresented, the stakes for the field are just as high.

The CS Starter Academy Mentorship Program was co-designed by the Chicago Alliance for Equity in Computer Science (CAFÉCS) and the Discovery Partners Institute’s CS Starter Academy. It pairs City Colleges students, primarily first-generation students of color, with peer mentors from DePaul University, Loyola University Chicago, and the University of Illinois Chicago. After an evaluation of a previous peer mentoring model revealed weak connections and poorly matched pairs, leaders designed the CS Starter Academy Mentorship model for 2024-2025. Program leadership matched mentors and mentees based on major and school interests. Three in-person events brought mentors and mentees together with expert panels on mentor advice, transfer admissions, and university course selection.

This mixed-methods process evaluation, grounded in Bandura’s social learning theory and Baumeister and Leary’s belongingness hypothesis, drew on surveys from 25 participants (12 mentors, 13 mentees) and interviews with seven (four mentors, three mentees).

The redesign worked. Participants agreed or strongly agreed that the program helped mentees understand pathways to four-year institutions, explore computer science course options, and feel a sense of belonging in computer science. Mentees agreed or strongly agreed that it positively influenced their decision to apply to a four-year institution. Every survey respondent was satisfied with their mentor match, a striking turnaround from the dissatisfaction reported in year one, and respondents rated the in-person events as informative or very informative.

Interviews showed how. Mentorship advanced transfer readiness through networking, practical guidance on applications and course requirements, personal and academic growth, soft-skill development, and emotional support. Belonging mattered because mentors who shared similar struggles, including imposter syndrome, and mentors and peers who reflected mentees’ race, gender, and age made transfer feel attainable. As one mentee said, the program “encouraged me to not doubt my ability to be accepted into a four-year university.”

Participants also asked for more. Over a quarter wanted additional events, and mentees requested deeper instruction on admissions requirements, financial aid, and course equivalencies, along with professional development in internships, resume building, interview preparation, and networking. Although the sample is small and self-selected, the evidence is consistent: a peer-driven model can build confidence, belonging, and practical knowledge at the moment students decide whether to pursue a bachelor’s degree.