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Mountaineer Meet Ups

 

We're Here To Help You Connect

Mountaineer Meet Up’s are supportive, peer-led opportunities to find and connect with community at WVU. Students interested in building their social and community well-being can complete a Meet Up interest form which asks questions about their interests and background. A staff member will review and work to connect them with upcoming opportunities around the campus.   

Occasionally, we host a purposeful, connection-building event we call a Group Meet Up. At these events we use fun, facilitated activities to break the ice and help you get connected to others with similar interests. Join us on Thursday, August 28 at 6 p.m. for our Fall Semester Group Meet Up at the Pond Area outside of the Rec Center.   

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. We look forward to supporting you as you work to build your community at WVU!

How Does it Work?

There are no shortage of programs and opportunities at WVU to help you connect and build community. However, we recognize that the choices can be overwhelming, and it can be hard to know where to start.   

When students complete an interest form, they will be connected to a WVU staff member who is knowledgeable about WVU programs and resources. Based on the information you provide in your interest form, they will work with you via email, text, or phone call (based on your preference) to identify opportunities to connect with others through upcoming programs, club meetings, and events. They will help you make a plan and identify strategies to overcome some of the obstacles that tend to hold us back when going into new social situations. Additionally, we’ll reach out to you when we’ve got a Group Meet Up coming up! 

Students can opt in to joining a GroupMe based messaging platform where we’ll post group messages about upcoming events and programs. Students can use the GroupMe to connect with others and invite folks along to events and opportunities.     

Sign Me Up!

Mountaineer Meet-Up Guidelines

  • Mountaineer Meet Ups are for currently enrolled students at WVU.

  • 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. 

  • 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.  

  • Requesting money, making romantic advances, or sending any type of inappropriate messages during a Meet Up or on the GroupMe platform is grounds to be removed from this program and/or your contact information being forwarded to the office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.   

  • A staff member is connected to the 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.  

  • WVU Carruth Center (24/7): (304) 293-4431

  • Crisis Text Line: Text "WVU" to 741741 

  • National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988

  • 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. 

  • 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.

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

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.