Mountaineer Meet Up’s are supportive, peer-led communities centered around various interests, identities or needs. Each Meet Up community shares the goal of helping students build connections with other like-minded peers to combat loneliness and isolation. Meet Up groups utilize GroupMe or other web-based platforms to stay in touch and generally have at least one formal meeting per week, though members are encouraged to use the platform to engage both digitally and in person. The Meet Ups are supported by staff and peer leaders who help facilitate community and connections. Check out the Meet Up Options and get connected!
Mountaineers thrive on community! It’s a big part of what makes WVU what it is. When asked why they chose WVU, many students responded, “It just felt right”. While we love that students feel welcome at WVU, we also know that it takes a lot more than a feeling to truly build that supportive community that we all need. That’s where Mountaineer Meet Up’s come in.
How Does it Work?
Each of the Mountaineer Meet Up’s looks a little different but shares some commonalities. During the regular semester, each Meet Up has a weekly touch point. These can be in-person or online. This can look like a kayak experience on the river, an online game session, or meeting up for coffee or a meal. Attendance isn’t mandatory but it’s there when you want to connect with others. Additionally, each Meet Up serves as a switchboard for invitation. When you join a Meet Up, you’ll be added to a text based GroupMe or Discord Server. Headed to the dining hall or a campus event and don’t want to go alone? Reach out and invite others from the Meet Up! Meet Up’s aren’t just about a weekly meeting – they are built on the idea that we are all looking for community and in this space, you don’t have to wonder if others feel the same way.
Explore each of the Mountaineer Meet Up's below. Use the interest form below to get connected.
Sign Me Up!Adventure Well-being
This meet-up allows Mountaineers to learn about well-being and engage with others while participating in exciting adventure activities. We’ll paddle in September, ride bikes along the river in October, and climb at WVU’s climbing wall in November! All programs are beginner-friendly (if cycling, you will need to know how to ride a bike). We’re down-to-earth and approachable, and we invite you to come as you are – we can’t wait to meet you!
Gaming Crew
This Meet Up connects Mountaineers who love to game. From joysticks to tabletops, we love them all. We want to connect new Mountaineers to a community that is open, inviting, and full of friendly competition.
Get Out of the Lab
Get Out of the Lab is a place for all WVU graduate students to connect and build
community. We know it can be hard as a Graduate Student to build community outside
of your lab, classroom or assistantship. This meet-up exists to help connect you
to other that feel the same way!
Grub Club
The Grub Club is a group open to any undergrad student who is looking to meet new people, build community, and have friends to share a meal with. We especially love to connect with new students who need a starting point for community and connection.
Loved Ones
Loved Ones is a group that is open to any WVU student who has been impacted by addiction in their family or community.
Mountaineer Meet & Eat
This meet up is for first-year students looking to connect with others, build friendships and enjoy dinners full of conversation and connection!
Nourish
A community for any WVU student seeking to improve their relationship with food and body
Mountaineer Meet-Up Guidelines
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Only currently enrolled WVU students can join a Peer Support Community.
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Students agree to treat all members of the Peer Support Community, including the staff, with respect and to follow the stated guidelines. Being disrespectful or displaying interactions deemed hostile or disruptive is grounds to be removed from the Peer Support Community and/or your contact information forwarded to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
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Students who join a Peer Support Community agree to follow the Student Code of Conduct and are subject to be vetted by staff to ensure that they are not part of a significant behavioral or conduct case on campus. If a student becomes involved in a significant behavioral or conduct case on campus or is known to be involved in a criminal legal matter in the community, that student is subject to be removed from the Peer Support Community.
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Requesting money, making romantic advances, or sending any type of inappropriate messages on the community's group messaging platform or during the Peer Support meetings is grounds to be removed from this program and/or your contact information being forwarded to the office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
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A staff member is connected to each community's group messaging platform but will not monitor messages in real time. The group messaging platform is not for emergency contact use. Please utilize WVU UPD and/or the WVU Carruth Center for immediate assistance. Students experiencing a life-threatening emergency should call WVU UPD at 304-293-2677or call 911. Students should use the resources below if experiencing a psychological emergency.
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WVU Carruth Center (24/7): (304) 293-4431
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Crisis Text Line: Text "WVU" to 741741
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National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
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Trevor Project Hotline (LGBTQ+): +1 (866) 488-7386
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Students who participate in a Peer Support Community understand that this program is designed to connect WVU students and is not a counseling or therapy intervention. They also understand that the community group messaging platforms are not WVU-sponsored or continuously monitored.
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Peer support communities are only open to currently enrolled WVU students voluntarily attending meetings and events. Meetings and events cannot be sanctioned/required, and are not available for observation, research, or credit/project purposes.
FAQ's
MMU’s exist specifically to address isolation and loneliness that commonly challenge college students. While certain MMU’s center around an interest or identity, they don’t focus on that as the goal or purpose. Students are encouraged to participate in Student Organizations as well as MMU’s!
MMU’s are non-clinical and are not run by mental health experts to treat symptoms or provide clinical interventions. MMU’s do however exist to support Mental Wellbeing. Loneliness and Isolation are key drivers of student mental health concerns. Students are encouraged to reach out to the Carruth Center to explore clinical mental health opportunities. WVU Carruth Center (24/7) - 304-293-443.
Students are not restricted to just one MMU. We do however encourage students who engage in a MMU to be active and thoughtful in their participation. After all, a long list of MMU members who never show up, respond or invite others kind of misses the point!
For as long as you want! We hope that MMU’s play an important role in helping you establish a meaningful and supportive community here at WVU. If it does, we’d encourage you to stay involved in your MMU and serve as that friendly encouraging Mountaineer who welcomes others and helps them get established.
GroupMe is a text-based messaging app that allows users to communicate with each other. Its free and easy to use. You can adjust settings to receive notifications or hide them until you open the app. You can silence or leave the app whenever you want.
Discord is a voice, video and chat app that allows users to set up “servers” or small groups of individuals that want to connect with each other. Discord is popular with online gamers but isn’t specific to that interest.
Each MMU is supported by an individual or team of professionals from WVU. Their role varies depending on the Meet Up, but all are responsible for ensuring that the Meet Ups remains supportive and free from bullying, solicitation or inappropriate behavior.
A staff member is connected to each community's group messaging platform but will not constantly monitor messages. The group messaging platform is not for emergency contact use. Please utilize WVU UPD and/or the WVU Carruth Center for immediate assistance. Students experiencing a life-threatening emergency should call WVU UPD at 304-293-2677or call 911. Students should use the resources below if experiencing a psychological emergency.
If you don't see a community here that you relate to, contact us at studentlife@mail.wvu.edu with other suggestions
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WVU Carruth Center (24/7): (304) 293-4431
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Crisis Text Line: Text "WVU" to 741741
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National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
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Trevor Project Hotline (LGBTQ+): +1 (866) 488-7386
Students who participate in a Peer Support Community understand that this program is designed to connect WVU students and is not a counseling or therapy intervention. They also understand that the community group messaging platforms are not WVU-sponsored or continuously monitored.
