Establishing Community through Mentorship in Physical Sciences

Despite many longstanding efforts, representation of numerous demographics in plasma physics in particular and physical sciences as a whole lags behind higher education in general. While many programs focus on the development of the student to address perceived gaps in ability and performance, we instead developed programs in which the primary focus is establishing community and relevance to the student. We present a variety of modes of student engagement, including near peer and peer mentorship, culturally relevant research experiences, and workshops enabling personal growth and wellness.