CLEVELAND — WKYC Studios’ annual “Mentor Mondays” campaign kicks off today, and as a 3News show producer who was born and raised in Cleveland, I’d like to talk about why this campaign matters to me.
I am not the first, second, nor even the third member of my family to graduate from Cleveland public schools and go on to complete college. I am the fifth and last of my siblings to do so, and I vividly remember attending Little Sibs weekend at Bowling Green State University back when I was in middle school.
Ever since that weekend visiting my sister, I looked forward to attending college. I was lucky to have my older siblings teach me the ropes of applying to schools, submitting the FAFSA and hunting for scholarships.
I can’t imagine the challenges first-generation college students face as they navigate this journey alone. That is why I signed up to become a College Now mentor three years ago.
And starting April 1, WKYC Studios will once again present “Mentor Monday,” a month-long recruiting campaign. WKYC’s newscasts will spotlight the College Now of Greater Cleveland mentoring program and offer viewers the chance to sign up to become a mentor.
College Now aims to increase postsecondary educational attainment through college and career access advising, financial aid and scholarships. About half of its program participants are first-generation college students.
My mentee is Kary, a junior majoring in criminology and psychology at Cleveland State University. Kary and I have participated in many events together. We attended a Guardians game, went out to eat a handful of times, went to church together and more. And recently Kary spent a day with me at WKYC Studios. She toured the station, learned how commercials are made and watched me produce 3News’ community engagement show, We The People.
I have enjoyed mentoring Kary. I cannot believe she is almost done with college. It is honor to see her succeeding in her classwork. I am so grateful to be a part of her journey. Kary has taught me that we can all give back to someone in some way. That is why I am encouraging others to give back through mentorship.
And my mentee Kary says she’s gotten a lot out of our relationship too.
“Having a mentor has provided me with emotional support,” Kary says. “The experience has been so knowledgeable and inspiring, especially having a Hispanic women mentor who genuinely understands me.”
According to College Now Greater Cleveland, 65% of students identify as first-generation college students and 79% of students identify as a person of color.
To become a volunteer mentor, all that is required is that you have a college degree and pass a background check. It's not a heavy time commitment – mentors check in with their mentees twice a month on an online platform system and meet up in person three times a year. We'd love to have you sign up before our Mentor Monday campaign comes to an end on April 29. Learn more by going to collegenowgc.org.