PASS is a course-based mentoring scheme, run for students by students. It gives first-years the opportunity to discuss study-related problems and get general advice from higher-year undergraduates in their subject. The scheme is firmly established at Queen Mary with 14 departments/schools running regular sessions.
There is no barrier, student to student. Each subject mentor has a very useful perspective to offer the mentees. PASS is a valuable and complementary addition to the wide range of more formal teaching and support offered to students.
Photos in the slideshow above are from the PASS certificate ceremony which recognises the hard work of students organisers and mentors.
Volunteer mentors are the most important part of PASS. Without them, the scheme could not run. They can offer first-years something staff members cannot – recent experience of being a first-year in the mentees’ own school or departments.
Hours
Mentors in each department give varying amounts of time, it is a flexible scheme. Mentors who commit to more than 3 sessions per semester are accredited through HEAR.
Who can be a mentor?
Mentors are second and third-year volunteers chosen or approved by their school or department. Most mentors are motivated by wanting to give new students the help they wished they had had at the same stage. Through mentoring, students increase their own academic and social confidence and gain useful experience and key employability skills.
What is the key skill of a PASS mentor?
Mentors are there to help mentees come to their own conclusions and solutions, not to supply answers.
How can you become a mentor?
We are currently recruiting mentors for all subject areas. Please visit the following page for additional information.
Make a note of the academic coordinator's email address for your school, it is listed on this web page. For more information about the role see the careers jobs and work experience web page. Please note: compulsory training sessions are held at the start of each new academic year.
Mentees are the first-year (and sometimes second year) students who attend PASS sessions. All students are welcome, no one is judged as struggling because they come along – they may want to get ahead for the following year or just enjoy talking to other students about their subject.
How do I know if it’s useful to come to PASS sessions?
Go along to a session and find out. There’s no requirement to be there on the dot or to come more often than you want to. You will get friendly, informal advice in a relaxed environment from people who understand your situation.
I understand my feedback much better after going through it. I know how to improve now
PASS Mentee
PASS session details for Semester B 2023/24 can be found below:
School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences:
Mondays 12pm - 1pm, Bancroft G.07
Wednesdays 12pm - 1pm, Graduate Centre GC114
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Zunair Rahman z.rahman@se21.qmul.ac.uk
School of Chemical Sciences:
Wednesdays 1pm - 2pm Bancroft 2.41
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Leila Pooriakia l.pooriakia@se21.qmul.ac.uk
School of Business and management:
Mondays 4pm - 5pm in Bancroft 2.41
Tuesdays 12pm - 1pm in Bancroft 1.08
Thursdays 1pm - 2pm, online, Please email Pratham for joining link
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Pratham Patel p.patel@hss20.qmul.ac.uk
English:
Tuesday 1pm - 2pm, Bancroft 1.01.1
Fridays 2pm - 3pm, online via this joining link
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Mia Kelsey Linwood m.linwood@hss22.qmul.ac.uk
School of Language, Linguistics and Film:
Tuesdays 2pm - 3pm in IQ East Court (Scape) 2.01
Fridays 12pm - 1pm in Laws 119
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Thasmitha Varathanathan t.varathanathan@hss21.qmul.ac.uk
School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science:
Mondays 4pm - 5pm in Queens Building, QB 2.03
Thursdays 11am - 12pm in Queens Building, QB 2.03
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Saloni Desai s.desai@se22.qmul.ac.uk
School of Engineering and Material Science:
Thursday 1pm - 2pm in IQ East Court (Scape) 0.14
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Muhammad Mahdi Hasan m.m.hasan@se22.qmul.ac.uk
School of Economics and Finance:
Tuesdays 3pm - 4pm in Bancroft 3.20
Thursdays 3pm - 4pm in Bancroft 1.01.2
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Jelizaveta Karandeja j.karandeja@hss20.qmul.ac.uk
School of Dentistry:
The sessions within School of Dentistry take place before the first year ICA exams. Please contact the current student organiser Abdurrahman Chowdhury for session details via a.r.chowdhury@se21.qmul.ac.uk
School of Geography
Thursdays 11am - 12pm in Library Seminar Room
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Maleeha Malik maleeha.malik@hss21.qmul.ac.uk
School of History:
Tuesdays 11am - 12pm in Bancroft 3.21
Wednesdays 1pm - 2pm in Bancroft 1.08
Thursdays 4pm - 5pm in Geography 2.20
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Tara Basra t.basra@hss21.qmul.ac.uk
School of Maths:
Thursdays 2pm - 3pm in Bancroft G.13
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Kashish Saxena k.saxena@se22.qmul.ac.uk
School of Politics and International Relations:
Tuesdays 11am - 12pm in Queens LG3
Student Organiser to contact with any queries: Luce Biscardi l.biscardi@hss21.qmul.ac.uk
Student organisers are at the pivot of the whole scheme as they are the main contact point for all the staff and students involved in PASS. They lead their team to publicise and plan the scheme in their department and are often experienced mentors.
More commitment is expected of organisers, they have paperwork to complete and sessions to organise.
How do you become a Student Organiser?
Contact the current organiser in your department (details on this web page) find out when the sessions run and go along to find out more. Each department recruits their mentors and student organisers differently but usually, this is finalised by the summer. Please click on the student organiser profiles below to find out more about the role.
I just wanted to say a big thank you for everything that PASS has meant to me these past few years. The new SOs are really perfect for the job. I couldn't be more proud of them and the whole team and of the sense of community that PASS has built within our course. Previous Student Organiser from Dentistry
Every school or departmental PASS scheme has an interested and involved academic to liaise with the student organisers on course matters and logistical issues. Some academic coordinators work with an administrative or support colleague who is also a key contact for the mentor team.
Click on the student profile links below to find out more about PASS from students Joe and Chelsey who have attended sessions as mentees, become mentors and then worked as student organisers.
Alternatively, hear what students think of the scheme on our PASS video.
Joe - PASS Student Profile
Chelsey - PASS Student Profile