USF Rising Youth Mentorship 2024-2025
The USF Rising Mentorship Program is a collaboration among USF’s Leo T. McCarthy Center and the Athletic Department to partner with local youth-serving organizations and foster mutually beneficial relationships between USF students and youth from historically underserved communities. USF Rising Mentors will receive extensive preparation to engage meaningfully and empathetically with youth, and will commit to a 1-year mentoring relationship focused on developing a college-going mindset for their youth mentees. The program will entail structured group activities hosted on USF’s campus and at community partner sites, as well as opportunities for USF Rising Mentors to connect individually with mentees throughout the year. The program includes a strong focus on understanding youth experiences through the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.
Fellowship details
USF students will be paired up together and then matched with youths in grades 6th - 8th to serve as mentors, and engage with students at their respective community partner after-school sites. Mentor-mentee activities and interactions will be adapted to the developmental level and interests of youth, and draw on the interests, skills, and talents of USF students. Youth participants will have the opportunity to build connections, explore challenges, and better understand pathways to and within higher education. Youth will gain a greater awareness of civic engagement and social justice opportunities as well as the avenues for success in community engaged learning.
Mentors will participate in monthly workshops that will cover courses in Cultural Competency, Racial Equity, Civic-Engagement, Health & Wellness, College Resources (i.e pathways), and more, to support their engagement with their mentees. These workshops will be designed to be developmentally appropriate for our middle school students including different content such as hands-on career exploration taking place on the USF campus and guidance to USF students to encourage participation from mentees.
The USFRising mentorship fellowship includes:
- $500 fellowship per semester ($1000 total Fall and Spring)
- Commitment of 15-25hrs a month for 2024-2025 school year
- Mentor orientation and ongoing coaching/support through group and one-on-one meetings
- Connecting with your youth mentee onsite at their after school program 3-4 times a month
- Must be available at least 1 day (M-F) for 2-3 hours, within the time frame of 3-6pm.
Ongoing recruitment for the 2024-2025 school year.
You will hear back from the Program Coordinator for an interview through email.
Thanks again for your interest! Questions? Email: Carla Trujillo, cbtrujillo@usfca.edu