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February 5th, 2010

Pair Profile: Jay and Nelson

Nelson recently started his senior year at the Urban Assembly Academy for Careers in Sports (UACIS) in the South Bronx. Nelson has a close relationship with his family, especially his grandmother, whom he considers a "second mother." As the eldest of seven siblings, Nelson feels responsible for setting a good example for his brothers and sisters. He will be the first in his immediate family to go to college.

The son of Colombian and Puerto Rican parents, Jay was born and raised in the Bronx and now serves as a Vice President at Barclays Capital. He was the first in his family to have the traditional college experience, after watching his mother finish her Bachelors and Masters degrees while working full time. Jay credits his success to his mentor of 17 years: the basketball coach at Mount St. Michael’s Academy, where he served as the team’s manager in high school. Jay’s mentor continued to support him throughout college, using a connection to help him find a summer job on Wall Street that led to his current position. Jay acknowledges that “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the mentors I have had who have motivated me to succeed.”

View the complete pair profile

February 1st, 2010

iMentor at the White House

Tracey and Shanice in front of the White House	Mentee, Shanice, in White House

On January 20th, 2010, one year after President Obama took office, the Corporation for National & Community Service hosted an event at the White House honoring National Mentoring Month. As a leader in the national mentoring movement, iMentor was invited to take part in the celebration. Tracey Kemble and Shanice S., a mentor-mentee pair from Bronx Academy of Letters, attended the event along with CEO Mike O’Brien. This was an incredible experience for iMentor, and it was especially meaningful for Shanice, who had the chance to speak with Michelle Obama one-on-one.

Watch a video of the event below:

Both the President and First Lady gave remarks about how mentoring has impacted their lives. Michelle Obama spoke about the Leadership Mentoring Program at the White House, which she launched last November. This program matches young women in the DC area with women working at the White House, and it will soon be extended to include young men. The First Lady discussed why it is important to continue the cycle of mentoring, and she asked all those who have had a mentor to pay that gift forward by serving as mentors themselves.

The First Lady said:

"That’s a commitment that both the President and I have made--that no matter how far we climb, we’re always looking back to see who we can pull up along the way."

President Obama discussed the important role mentoring has played in his life. He recalled growing up in a single-parent household, feeling the weight of an absent father even with a supportive mother and very loving grandparents. President Obama stressed the importance of mentoring, explaining how mentors have helped him develop into the person he is today.

The President said:

"If you ask any successful person how they got to where they are today, chances are they’ll tell you about a mentor they had somewhere along the way."

iMentor is thrilled that President Obama chose to highlight the importance of mentoring through this event, and we are honored that the White House recognizes us as a leader in the national mentoring movement.

iMentor is playing a crucial role in narrowing the national mentoring gap. This year, iMentor is changing thousands of lives, matching 1,200 mentor-mentee pairs in NYC and bringing mentoring to 54 organizations throughout the country and internationally through iMentor Interactive.

Interested in becoming a mentor? Learn More

January 21st, 2010

iMentor Launches 2010 Online Donor Drive

On January 19, 2010, iMentor launched its annual Online Donor Drive. The Online Donor Drive is a fun and easy way for iMentor volunteers to spread the word about iMentor's high-impact programs while helping to raise crucial funds to fuel our growth. iMentor has embarked on an ambitious growth plan that will ultimately connect thousands of youth with quality mentors across the nation and in New York City. But we can't do it alone. The Online Donor Drive is the perfect way to help us get there.

Learn More or Join the Drive!

January 21st, 2010

Mentor of the Month: January

Mentor Name: Dominique Fenner Length of Match: 3 years Mentee name: Tysha S. Mentee’s School: Bronx Academy of Letters

What makes Dominique our mentor of the month? Dominique is SUPPORTIVE

In the third year of their match, Dominique has gone above and beyond in helping her mentee, Tysha, to navigate the complicated transition out of high school and to figure out her next steps. Since Tysha graduated from the Bronx Academy of Letters last June, Dominique has helped her locate job and internship resources, worked with her to trouble-shoot unexpected challenges in the college and financial aid application processes, and provided ongoing personal support and encouragement. Now that Tysha is no longer enrolled in an iMentor class at school, Dominique takes the initiative to stay in touch with her at least once a week through phone calls and text messages. She remains a strong, consistent source of support during this crucial moment in her mentee’s life.

Tysha says...

“Since this iMentor program started, we always had fun. Each year it just gets better and better. You helped me get through a lot and I really thank you for tha... I think it’s going to be like that every year, even after the program.”

Interested in becoming a mentor? Learn More

December 23rd, 2009

iMentor Celebrates National Mentoring Month

January is National Mentoring Month! iMentor NYC and iMentor Interactive are excited to participate in the national celebration of mentoring, engaging volunteers in New York City and mentoring organizations across the country.

iMentor has planned several activities throughout the month of January to celebrate National Mentoring Month. If you are currently managing a mentoring program, check out some of the creative ideas iMentor Interactive suggests for you and your program participants on the iMentor Interactive Calendar. If you are a current iMentor NYC volunteer or you are interested in getting involved, check out the iMentor NYC Calendar.

Learn More about iMentor's National Mentoring Month Activities

December 18th, 2009

Mentor of the Month: December

Mentor Name: Ted Mann Length of Match: 1 year Mentee name: Pierre R. Mentee’s School: Brooklyn International High School

What makes Ted our mentor of the month? Ted is HIS MENTEE'S BIGGEST FAN

Ted is extremely supportive of his mentee, Pierre. He not only offers encouragement through email, but helps Pierre bridge the language gap by writing in both his native French and English. At the in-person meetings, Ted is always excited to see Pierre and is engaged in hearing the recent update on school and life. Another way that Ted is there for his mentee is his friendly consistency and words of wisdom, always written with care and excellent timing. More than that, Ted is always reaching out to iMentor to brainstorm ways to support his mentee. Through Ted’s utmost support and encouragement of his mentee over the start of their match, Pierre’s confidence has quickly grown, and he is now able to write primarily in English.

Pierre says...

“I want to improve my English, I think my mentor could help me in talking about my subject. I want to improve my personality because it’s the most important thing we need in a person. I just know one day I get a better [grade] from each teacher in my school.”

Ted says...

“I know that it is really hard being the new kid in school, especially when you are still learning English... I hope you can take my advice to heart and remember that things will get better and that it doesn't matter what any of the other kids say. I promise you that a year from now things will already be much better.”

Interested in becoming a mentor? Learn More

December 7th, 2009

Partners in Closing the Achievment Gap

iMentor would like to recognize a great organization working to close the education achievement gap: the Education Equality Project.

The Education Equality Project is a bipartisan group of elected officials, civil rights leaders, and education reformers working to bring equity to our public education system.

Here's what they have to say about the achievement gap:

We have a problem: By 4th grade, Black and Latino students are, on average, nearly 3 years behind their White and Asian counterparts. 89% of Latino and 86% of African American middle and high school students read below grade level. Not to mention, American students drop out of high school on average every 26 seconds. The numbers go on and on. This isn't a new problem. It goes back decades, leaving children under-educated and unprepared. This is known as the education achievement gap.

Our public schools cannot continue to fail millions of students each year. Join us to learn more about how to transform schools and results for our students. It will take every one of us to bring equity to our schools. We are building a movement and we need YOU!

Learn More about the Education Equality Project

Become a Facebook fan
Follow EEP on Twitter

November 20th, 2009

Mentor of the Month: November

Mentor Name: Patti Gregory Length of Match: 3 Years Mentee name: Adrianne L. Mentee’s School: The Bronx Academy of Letters

What makes Patti our mentor of the month? Patti is PERSISTENT

Patti has shown incredible enthusiasm, support, and consistency in her role as a mentor. Upon being matched, she immediately made arrangements to be available to meet Adrianne at her iMentor Kick Off event in the Bronx. However, an hour before the event, Adrianne called to cancel. Patti was on a bus heading up to the Bronx when she got the call, and she wasn’t discouraged or disheartened by the cancellation. Instead, she got in touch with Adrianne right away to reschedule an alternative first meeting. She decided to head up to the Bronx again to attend Adrianne’s iMentor session at 9 in the morning.

Patti uses a wheelchair and has had to put in extra effort each time she makes a trip to see Adrianne, but this hasn’t stopped her from making three trips in one month to meet her mentee! Patti also sends lengthy, thoughtful emails on a consistent basis, regardless of whether Adrianne emails. One month into her match with Adrianne, Patti’s persistence has already paid off. She is slowly winning Adrianne over and setting the stage for a great mentoring relationship.

Adrianne says...

"Do people talk about me? Yes they do, but do I care? Nope not at all because my style is my style and cant nobody change that. I really don’t care what people have to say about me or the way I dress."

Patti says...

"I'm glad that you are an independent-thinker and that you aren't overly concerned about others judging the way you dress. For many years, I worked in the fashion business... when I left that world, I was much happier and especially when I had to start using a wheelchair, I really discovered how much outside appearances didn't matter."

Interested in becoming a mentor? Learn More

October 20th, 2009

Mentor of the Month: October

Mentor Name: Alejandro Cajigal Length of Match: 1.5 years Mentee name: Stephen R. Mentee’s School: Urban Assembly School for Careers in Sports

What makes Alejandro our mentor of the month? Alejandro is ACCESSIBLE

Not only did Alejandro email consistently and attend the monthly iMentor events throughout his match with Stephen, he also made time for Stephen outside of iMentor’s regular events. During the school year Stephen and Alejandro often met in iMentor’s Drop-In Center to work on Stephen’s college application. Alejandro also attended Stephen’s graduation. Over the summer, Alejandro went above and beyond by making himself available to attend iMentor events. At these events he spoke about iMentor's work and expressed his commitment and investment to Stephen.

Alejandro says...

"I'd like to attend your graduation ceremony and see you get your diploma if that's ok.  I'm very proud of your achievements and would like to be there on your special day before you move into the next big phase of your life (college)."

Stephen says...

"Yeah I'm really excited about graduation! it's on June 27th it's a saturday and sure I'd love for you to come. I just have to get all the info about where it's at and stuff."

Interested in becoming a mentor? Learn More

October 2nd, 2009

iMentor Joins the America Forward Coalition

We are thrilled to announce that iMentor is one of the newest additions to the America Forward coalition organized by New Profit Inc.! America Forward is a nonpartisan coalition of social entrepreneurs and high-impact organizations who believe a public policy approach that incorporates the principles of innovation, performance, competition, accountability, and results will generate solutions to otherwise intractable social problems.

Learn more about America Forward

View all coalition Members

September 30th, 2009

Pair Profile: Marie and Laura

Marie grew up in Haiti until she was twelve, at which point she moved to the United States. She now lives with her parents in Flatbush, Brooklyn and recently graduated from the International High School at Prospect Heights. Upon learning that she was going to receive a mentor, Marie told her parents, "Now I have an adult that I can be open with and I will ask her as many questions as I can about my career."

Laura first found iMentor through a volunteering website. Having never mentored or worked with recent immigrant populations, Laura joined the program “because of its flexibility and because you can feel very free to express yourself honestly and openly through the internet... but meeting in person makes it more than just a screen.”

Marie and Laura took full advantage of the iMentor curriculum last year, working together on preparing a cover letter, resume, and competitive college application. In early 2009, Marie decided to apply to the Seinfeld Scholarship Program, an extremely competitive program that awards 15 New York City students with full scholarships to the college of their choice. Marie and Laura met in the Drop-In Center to revise Marie’s essay and discussed the process over email. In April, Marie received word that she had won the scholarship and would be invited to meet Jerry Seinfeld. Marie plans to attend Long Island University, particularly because the school will allow her to study abroad in Cuba. The two plan to stay in touch as Marie enrolls in college and Laura pursues another undergraduate degree of her own.

View the complete pair profile

September 30th, 2009

Mentor of the Month: September

Mentor Name: Margaret Rose de Cruz Occupation: Chiropractor/Alt Medicine Length of Match: 1 Year Mentee name: Geraldine C. Mentee’s School: International High School at Prospect Heights

What makes Margaret our mentor of the month? Margaret is CONSISTENT

Margaret and Geraldine are both busy women--or, at the least, their schedules can make it hard to meet up. When Geraldine told Margaret her parents wouldn't let her attend iMentor events at night, Margaret decided to do whatever it took to meet up. Margaret frequently came to the International High School at Prospect Heights, meeting with Geraldine during her iMentor session and catching up in an adjacent classroom. When Margaret couldn't stop by the classroom, she always made sure to email Geraldine--even when Geraldine had been absent the previous week. Margaret may make it seem effortless, but she demonstrates that every match can thrive if the mentor puts in the right amount of time, dedication, and effort. Awesome job, Margaret!

Geraldine says...

“I'm very exciting of having a mentor because I think it will be a great experiences in my life to get advices from new people. I also very excited because I wanna know how does it feel like. I have not meet no one who have had a mentor before.

I'm not really sure what are the things I would like to accomplish together, but I would like my mentor to help me with college information, because that's driving me crazy. My biggest dream is become a professional and have a different life for me and my family... work in a big hospital as a Doctor or as Register Nurse."

Margaret says...

“This year I'd like to help you with your goal of getting into a college program and learning more about the field. It's great you have a relative who is a doctor already... I have a small private practice and also work in a Day treatment program for special needs adults. So, I can relate to your dreams of serving people in the field of health care... We’re a good match.”

Interested in becoming a mentor? Learn More

September 23rd, 2009

iMentor Joins New Profit Inc.'s Portfolio

New Profit explains its portfolio organizations:

New Profit portfolio organizations tackle some of the most pressing challenges our country faces today. Led by innovative social entrepreneurs, these organizations provide transformative approaches to addressing leadership in our schools, college access for low-income youth, insurance coverage for independent workers, and more. Performance-based funding, strategy consulting, and coaching enable these social entrepreneurs to grow their leadership teams, hone their strategies, and increase their sustainability. New Profit portfolio organizations are among the fastest growing nonprofits nationally, measured by annual increases in revenue and the number of lives touched.

Learn More about New Profit Inc.

See All iMentor Funders

About New Profit Inc.

Since 1998, New Profit has helped a portfolio of innovative social entrepreneurs build their organizations and scale their social impact. New Profit believes that just as entrepreneurship and invention have driven our nation’s progress, so too can we harness America’s spirit of innovation, vision, and optimism to help solve out most pressing social problems. With the support of individual investors and its signature partner, Monitor Group, New Profit provides multi-year financial and strategic support to a portfolio of social entrepreneurs working in education, public health, youth development, and other areas.

New Profit also brings together social innovators from across sectors at the annual Gathering of Leaders, and drives other initiatives to release the potential of social entrepreneurship. Included among these is America Forward, a nonpartisan initiative that connects social sector innovators and their partners to advance an infrastructure for innovators and government to act together to scale the impact of proven and promising solutions.

To learn more visit: http://www.newprofit.com.

August 18th, 2009

iMentor is Moving!

As of Friday, August 21st, iMentor is moving offices. We will no longer be housed at 40 Exchange Place, but we aren't going far--just down the street!

The new iMentor home will be located at:

30 Broad Street, 9th Floor

New York, NY 10004

We look forward to seeing everyone in our new, larger space as iMentor continues to grow and serve more NYC youth every year.

View map and directions to iMentor's new location

August 14th, 2009

Mentor Recruitment Tip of the Week #4

This week's tip:

Community outreach!

Do you belong to a group of people who actually meet in person? With more and more communities finding residence online (i.e. social networking sites) we tend to forgot about the different groups of people we see in person everyday.

For example, do you:

Go to the gym?

Belong to church?

Attend professional networking events?

Take Art /Writing/Anything classes on the side?

Think about all of the real world communities that you belong to and ask someone from that group to be a mentor! Bring up mentoring in your conversation or post a flyer on the community board. We have a great example of a recruitment flyer that you can use anywhere.

Want to become a mentor? Fill out an online application

August 4th, 2009

Pair Profile: Lisa and Claire

Lisa is a rising senior at Brooklyn International High School. She was born in China and came to New York with her family about 8 years ago. She is very close with her family and friends and travels to China whenever possible. Lisa is a vocal and motivated student at school, and her future plans include teaching or accounting.

Claire is a native New Yorker, hailing from Queens. She studied at Fordham University, where she volunteered for several years. She likes that iMentor is something to become truly invested in, and that it allowed her to connect with high school students as they find their way through the college process.

During one of the last iMentor sessions, Lisa spoke very warmly about her match with Claire. Lisa felt that their visits to the Drop-In Center were the most impactful for her--she had so much fun just talking with Claire that she didn’t want to leave at the end of the night. Lisa expressed that she felt valued because Claire listened to her, and that was a lesson that would stay with her.

View complete pair profile

August 4th, 2009

Mentor Recruitment Tip of the Week #3

This week's tip:

Send an email blast to everyone in your network!

It’s that simple. Your friends might be interested, or they might know someone who is. Spread the word!

Want to become a mentor? Fill out an online application

August 3rd, 2009

iMentor Co-Founder Named Head of Children's Aid Society

The Children’s Aid Society announced last month that it has hired Richard Buery Jr., co-founder of iMentor and Groundwork Inc., as its new president and chief executive. At 37, Rich is the youngest person to take the lead at the Children's Aid Society since its founder, who was 27 at the time. He is also its first African American leader.

Shortly after his graduation from Yale Law School, Mr. Buery co-founded iMentor. He then went on to co-found Groundwork, a nonprofit that helps families living in Brooklyn public housing. Groundwork Inc. was awarded a New York Times Co. Nonprofit Excellence Award for excellent management in 2009. Mr. Buery was also a Crain’s 40 under 40 honoree in 2009.

About taking on this role, Rich says:

“I am humbled by the opportunity to lead this institution. These are difficult times, but it is precisely during times like these that we must focus on what is most important--investing in the health, happiness, and well-being of our children.”

Read full length press release

August 3rd, 2009

Mentor of the Month: August

July 29th, 2009

Pair Profile: Esin and Alison

Esin is a junior at International High School at Lafayette located in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. While she currently resides in Brooklyn, she is originally from Turkey. Esin is interested in pursuing a career in science or health care and takes her studies very seriously.

Alison lives in Astoria, Queens and works for The Door, an organization that provides comprehensive health, legal, educational, counseling and nutrition services to over 7500 New York City youth each year. She became aware of iMentor last year when mentor/mentee pairs created and donated gift bags that contained personal hygiene products to young people at The Door.

Alison and Esin were matched in October of 2008 and first met at the International High School at Lafayette Kick-Off event. After seeing each other in-person, their relationship immediately blossomed. Alison has prepared Esin well for her senior year and will continue to be a consistent force in her life throughout the next year as she gets ready for her post-high school future.

View the complete pair profile

July 29th, 2009

iMentor Recruitment Tip of the Week #2

This week's tip:

Reach out to your Alma Mater!

Do you think your college or university is one of the best out there? Do you believe that only the brightest and most enthusiastic people come from your school? Why not ask those shining examples of excellence to be mentors!?

Reaching out to your Alma Mater is a great way to connect with large networks of adults looking to volunteer their time to programs like iMentor.

Want to become a mentor? Fill out an online application

July 28th, 2009

iMentor Featured on NBC

On July 22nd, iMentor was featured on NBC News 4 as a recipient of a $55,000 grant from the NBC Universal Foundation. iMentor was one out of seven non-profit organizations selected based on the impact our programming will have on improving educational opportunities for 6th through 12th grade students.

WNBC anchor, David Ushery, and Telemundo New York Correspondent, Isolda Peguero, hosted the check presentation ceremony. Dennis Walcott, NYC Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development, also attended the event to recognize the positive work that iMentor and the six other organizations offer to the community.

Mike O’Brien, CEO of iMentor, spoke briefly about the importance of receiving support from organizations like the NBC Universal Foundation. This grant will support iMentor as we continue to grow our programming, connecting more mentor-mentee pairs each year and cultivating dynamic relationships that change lives.

See the video below:

Want to become a mentor? Learn More

Learn how you can support iMentor

July 24th, 2009

Mentor Recruitment Tip of the Week #1

Throughout the summer, we will provide weekly recruiting strategies that will help you encourage friends, family, and your personal networks to volunteer as a mentor.

This week’s tip:

Post a message on Facebook, LinkedIn and any other social network!

By using social media websites we are able to reach more mentors and do it faster. Here are some easy ways to do so:

- Post a status update, a comment, or send an email saying you want your friends to Get Involved!

- Join the iMentor Facebook group and iMentor Cause and encourage your friends to do the same

- Post a link to our Youtube page

- Post a link to our website

- Make a comment on the iMentor Group’s Facebook page so it appears in the News feed

Want to become a mentor? Fill out an online application

July 23rd, 2009

iMentor Interactive in Forbes Magazine

One of iMentor Interactive’s member organizations, Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women Initiative, was highlighted in an article earlier this month in Forbes Magazine. The article focused on Generation Y’s concern for social welfare and how corporations are fostering their desire for volunteerism. They noted, “88% of Gen Y women and 82% of Gen Y men believe it's important to be able to give back to community through work.”

One example of this type of corporate volunteer program is the Goldman Sachs initiative, 10,000 Women. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program is a global philanthropic initiative that will provide 10,000 women in developing and emerging markets access to a business and management education, and help improve the quality and capacity of business and management education around the world. One aspect of the program is to pair each of the 10,000 women with a Goldman Sachs employee as their business mentor. Goldman Sachs chose iMentor Interactive to make this happen.

In the article, a Goldman Sachs mentor, Mackenzie Winner explains:

"We would log in each week and see what our mentees were learning in class. For example, my mentee runs a publishing company that publishes books for elementary schools. She asked me for suggestions on building stronger relationships with her clients. I suggested that she extend to the schools a discount if they purchased a certain number of her books. She implemented this and within a few weeks I heard back from her saying that she was already seeing a jump in sales. It is an amazing feeling to know that you have made a positive difference in someone's life on the other side of the globe."

Interested in becoming an iMi member? Learn more

Read full length story

July 16th, 2009

iMentor Wins First Ever Morgan Stanley Enterprise Challenge

Last month, Morgan Stanley announced that iMentor was the winner of the inaugural Morgan Stanley Social Enterprise Strategy Challenge. The Social Enterprise Strategy Challenge recruits teams of Morgan Stanley employees to compete amongst each other as pro-bono strategic advisors to leading nonprofits.

Over the course of eight weeks, nine teams of Morgan Stanley employees provided in-depth consulting services to nine New York City nonprofits addressing key strategic challenges. The Morgan Stanley team who partnered with iMentor helped analyze and refine a growth strategy in order to expand iMentor's signature mentoring model to other organizations wishing to start a mentoring program.

Mike O'Brien, CEO of iMentor had this to say:

"The Morgan Stanley team exceeded our expectations. They were genuinely interested in our mission, skilled in their respective fields and committed to leveraging that experience to provide us with an analysis and framework that will empower our work for years to come."

As the winning nonprofit, iMentor was awarded a $10,000 grant from Morgan Stanley Foundation to help implement the business strategy developed by the Morgan Stanley employees.

See the full press release

July 2nd, 2009

Mentor of the Month: July

June 30th, 2009

iMi In the News: Wi-Mentor's Successful Second Year

One of iMentor Interactive’s first member organizations, Wi-Mentor, celebrated the close of their second program year earlier this month. Their end of year event was mentioned in two locations on the web reporting about local Connecticut news: The Bridgeport Banner and Wilton Bulletin. The stories discuss Wi-Mentor’s programming and their accomplished growth over the last two years.

iMentor Interactive’s technology and targeted curriculum facilitates Wi-Mentor’s matching and communication process, maximizing time for both students and mentors to connect through its safe, secure network. This aspect of the Wi-Mentor program was recognized specifically:

“The Wi-mentor program was recently recognized by the Governor’s Prevention Partnership for its innovative approach in getting more people involved in mentor-mentee relationships. One reason the Wi-mentor program was started is to make it easier for adults and young people to communicate regularly. Interacting by computer offers more time flexibility for participants than traditional one-on-one meetings in school settings.”

We would like to congratulate Wi-Mentor on a great program year! Thank you for partnering with us using iMi and working toward closing the national mentoring gap.

Read more in the Wilton Bulletin and the Bridgeport Banner

See all iMi member organizations

June 19th, 2009

iMentor Welcomes New Managing Director of Talent

We would like to welcome Kim Hendler as the newest addition to the iMentor team. She comes to iMentor with a strong passion for developing talent in the non-profit sector. We are thrilled to have her joining our team!

To learn more about Kim, read a brief bio

Interested in joining the iMentor team? Check out current job openings

June 2nd, 2009

The Brooklyn Eagle Reports on iMentor’s End of Year Event

Last Saturday, iMentor hosted our second annual End of Year Event in which all 1,000 mentee-mentor pairs were invited to come together in celebrating the end of another fantastic program year. There were games, sports, arts & crafts, food, music, and a good time had by all. Mary Frost of The Brooklyn Eagle was also in attendance to check it out. She wrote an article about the event and the iMentor program.

The article quotes iMentor CEO, Mike O’Brien saying,

"This was the biggest event in iMentor’s history... This year iMentor connected 1,000 high-need city high school students with mentors, mostly young professionals. This event celebrates a huge accomplishment..."

We are thrilled that the event had a great turnout, and that mentee-mentor pairs had such a great time. To read the article’s coverage of the event and the iMentor program, check out The Brooklyn Eagle.

Want to get involved? Learn More

Check out the entire article

June 1st, 2009

Mentors Honored at This Year’s YEB Spring Benefit

This year, iMentor’s Young Executive Board hosted another successful Spring Benefit. The event, which took place at Taj Lounge, brought out a great crowd of iMentor supporters. Everyone had the chance to enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres & drinks, great music, and a silent auction. They also got the opportunity to learn a little bit more about some extraordinary mentors in our program.

iMentor’s Director of Volunteers, Ellen Mahoney, presented three outstanding mentors with awards recognizing their excellence and dedication.

	Catherine Hudak received the Rising Star Award. Catherine has had an incredible impact on her mentee already after only being matched in the Fall of 2008.
	Richard Frank received the Longevity Award. Richard has served as an inspiring role model over the years at iMentor (since 2006) and his enthusiasm can’t be beat.
	Joe Mellilo received the iMentor Dedication Award. Joe has volunteered as a mentor with us for 10 years and has mentored 5 teenagers in our program.

Congratulations to all of the honored mentors for their commitment to the iMentor program and the youth we serve.

Read brief speeches about each mentor

Learn more about the 2009 YEB Spring Benefit

June 1st, 2009

Mentor of the Month: June
 

May 28th, 2009

Pair Profile: Yan Fei and Michaela

Yan Fei, originally from Guangzhou, China, moved to New York City just under three years ago. She now lives with her parents near Sunset Park, Brooklyn and is completing her senior year at Lower East Side Prep High School.

Michaela was born and grew up in Slovakia. After completing her undergraduate degree, she moved to the United States to enroll in a Masters rogram at Cornell University. Michaela has fond memories of the two mentors who helped her to define her academic and professional interests during her high school and college years. Now, as a first-time mentor herself, she is happy to be able to give similar guidance to her mentee, Yan Fei.

Yan Fei was excited to participate in the iMentor program because she saw it as a great chance to practice her English skills and learn more about American culture. She is proud to call Michaela her first English-speaking friend.

View the complete pair profile

May 28th, 2009

Pair Profile: Giovanni and Brandon

Giovanni is a senior at the Urban Assembly School for Careers in Sports. He is a goal-oriented student who sets a great example for the underclassmen at Careers in Sports. Giovanni has applied to several colleges and is waiting to hear back. His dream is to work as a teacher.

Brandon is an investment banker at Barclays Investment Bank. He comes to iMentor with previous mentoring experience tutoring 5th and 6th grade students from an under-resourced community in Boston.

Brandon and Giovanni are in a 1 1/2 year match that began in January of 2008. They hit the ground running with the weekly emails, and they really connected when they met for the first time at the kickoff event. Brandon was transferred to Boston for work in February, but he has not missed one email, has attended several events (travelling from Boston), and has scheduled meetings with Giovanni throughout the remainder of school year. The pair has handled the move as if nothing changed. 

View the complete pair profile

May 18th, 2009

New Mentor of the Month Initiative

This month, iMentor is introducing a new initiative to recognize the amazing work our volunteer mentors do. Every month, we will recognize one, outstanding mentor who goes above and beyond the requirements for the program. We are excited to take this opportunity to identify some of the amazing people who make the iMentor program work--our mentors!

Below is the first in this series: our mentor of the month for May.

Interested in becoming a mentor? Learn more

May 18th, 2009

iMentor Board Members in the Spotlight

iMentor Board members have been showing up in the press lately. We, at iMentor, feel so lucky to be surrounded and supported by such inspiring people!  

In a speech by Michelle Obama during Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” Gala, she recognized Charles Best’s commitment to serving his community.

During her speech, the First Lady says:

“But, at a time when our nation is facing unprecedented challenges, encouraging careers in public service and social innovation is more important than ever. Already, we are seeing young people leading the way with their entrepreneurial spirit, energy and commitment to serving their communities. For example, Charles Best, a former Bronx public school teacher, started an online philanthropic marketplace called Donors Choose to help teachers who were spending up to $500 a year out of their own pockets for basic classroom materials. Through Donors Choose, ordinary citizens can directly fund projects initiated by enterprising public school teachers. Online donations have helped students in San Jose become avid readers through the Dr. Seuss series. An art class in the Bronx had no paint brushes. Now every student has a set.”

Read the full transcript of Michelle Obama’s speech

Watch some video from the event

In an article for Baruch College, Bill Richards shares insight, experience & the power of mentoring.

From the article:

“The art of building and maintaining relationships with the world’s most prominent hedge fund executives is one that Richards has mastered. He explained trust is crucial on his role as a hedge fund relationship director. He has built a reputation within the industry with his intellect and work ethnic over the past 26 years... Among his most rewarding experiences is his role as a mentor to several students. In addition to Baruch, Richards has given lectures at campuses across the country. “Giving back to young people and giving them access to who I know and access to the business is extremely important,” he said... Richards, who has an unwavering passion for helping students, also runs a UBS speaker series every summer called "The Best and the Brightest" where 15 hedge fund managers gather to speak to summer interns.”

Read the full article

Learn more about iMentor’s Board of Directors

May 18th, 2009

Mentee in iMentor Program Interviewed on WNYC

Last month, a mentee in the iMentor program at The International High School at Prospect Heights (IHSPH), Mukta M., was one of several students in the school to speak with WNYC reporter, Beth Fertig. WNYC spoke with students about their international high school and discussed what it means to be an immigrant in America--and in New York specifically.

Mukta M., iMentor student at IHSPS

Mukta M. is originally from Bangladesh; she moved to Brooklyn with her family five years ago. She describes herself as living in a jar, or a closed culture, before she came to the United States. Mukta spoke specifically about her religious skepticism and rejecting Islam. Although she is met with opposition from some peers, Mukta says she always feels her voice is heard in her school.

Mukta says:

“Everyone cares about everyone in here. They don't mind who believes in what, I think.”

The students who were interviewed have a lot to say about what it means to be a recent immigrant in America, their own ethnic identity, and how their school has helped in that process.

Read or listen to the full story on WNYC

May 15th, 2009

Now Hiring: Join the iMentor Team!

iMentor is currently hiring for several positions in different areas of the organization. If you want to become part of a fast-growing, innovative organization helping to improve the lives of young people from underserved communities in New York City, this is your chance!

Check out the following employment opportunities:

Chief Strategy Officer for Programs and Growth

Development Manager

Program Coordinator

Alumni Pairs Coordinator

April 7th, 2009

Pair Profile: Qian and Alexandra

Qian is a senior at the International High School at Prospect Heights and lives in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. She moved to the United States from China over 3 years ago and works at a Chinese restaurant to help support her family.

Before being matched, Qian described herself as lacking confidence. She said that many people told her she was “thin-skinned” and shy, but she didn’t think this was the case. She just felt that she hadn’t learned how to communicate with people and had fear about being made fun of for her English-speaking ability. She was eager to improve and requested a mentor who was outgoing and hard-working.

Alexandra was born and raised in Manhattan and grew up in the NYC public schools. She studied Communication and Psychology at the University of Miami before returning to New York City where she currently lives. She was extremely shy growing up and has been able to draw upon her very different, yet parallel, experiences to provide support and encouragement to Qian.

View the complete pair profile

April 1st, 2009

See iMentor Interactive in Action

iMentor has just put together a video overview of iMentor Interactive, iMentor's e-mentoring platform. The video features interviews with our members, testimonials from our mentors and mentees, and footage of all of the platform’s many features.

To watch the video, click below:

Like what you see? Sign up for a live, web-based demo next Wednesday from 3pm-4pm EST.

You may also request more information