Mentor

About Mentors: 

A Mentor is an individual who wishes to provide emotional support to a student via periodic personal contact, involvement in S/PA organized activities and mentoring, but is unable to provide the financial support.  Mentors are often S/PA alumni who wish to give back by providing the guidance they were given as a S/PA student.  Student/Partner Alliance provides materials, training and administrative support to Mentors.

A Mentor:

• maintains contact with and provides mentoring to the student partner on a regular basis

• receives mentor training and support from Student/Partner Alliance

• receives academic updates via periodic report cards

• is invited to a variety of S/PA events which provide opportunities to meet  with his/her student

• is contacted on a periodic basis by his/her student partner

Partners, of course, continue in their role as providers of financial and mentoring support.  This remains the primary relationship within Student/Partner Alliance.  With the Junior Mentoring Program, however, a third category has emerged; that of the “Sponsor”.  A “Sponsor” is a concerned individual who will support the student financially, but cannot provide the mentoring  support.  His/her student will now be matched up with a Mentor who is committed to providing that personal connection. This step in the growth of Student/Partner Alliance brings us closer to offering our students the most comprehensive support system possible within our means.

The  Junior Mentoring Program was created last year, with the mission of making certain that all of our S/PA scholarship recipients were matched up with a mentor.  Met with enthusiasm on the parts of both students and recent graduate mentors, the program continues to grow.  Board member Natasha Manning, PhD, is coordinating the group of mentors, which now numbers 19!  Natasha held the group’s first get together this past fall.  “I came away from the meeting so exhilarated by the level of enthusiasm on the part of our new mentors.  My hope and belief is that with this excitement coming from the group, we will make our goal of  a 100% match rate for students and mentors in the very near future.”  Dr. Manning continued, “The excitement on the part of our mentors about being part of a teen’s life and helping students navigate the difficulties of high school, is truly refreshing.  I am certain this program will be a huge success!”