National Mentoring Month 2023

NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH 2023

Each January, National Mentoring Month is a time to elevate the power of relationships. Below you’ll find highlights from this year’s celebrations, including ways you can get involved as a mentor.

Fellow Gratitude

Partners in Mentorship

Morgan Stanley has provided our Fellows with hundreds of mentors since our partnership began. Thanks to our partnership with their Institute for Inclusion, we’ve been able to scale our programming nation-wide with the launch of FirstGenU.

Thank you, Morgan Stanley, for helping us pioneer new programming for first-generation college students and enabling us to allow us to serve thousands of students over the next five years.

“As a first-generation, Haitian-American college student, I’m aware that the odds are always against me. FirstGenU has prepared me to beat those odds. Through the courses, I’ve gained competencies that will allow me to enter any room confidently. My professional career looks bright, thanks to this program!”

Ralph, FirstGenU Student

Did you know you can provide transformative mentorship in as little as one hour? Like our partners at Stonepeak who attended several short-term volunteer opportunities last year. Thank you for helping first-generation college students thrive!

“We are so appreciative that America Needs You recognizes that mentorship can take many different forms and allows for flexible volunteer opportunities. Although the single-day events are shorter, they provide a fantastic platform for volunteers to provide targeted, high-impact feedback to small groups of Fellows. We believe that while each ANY Fellow is unique, they are excellent examples of what it means to be resilient, curious, tenacious, inspirational, and incredibly deserving of representation.”

Jacqueline and Isabel, Virtual Volunteers

Mentorship takes on many forms at ANY, so no matter your schedule, you can have transformative impact. J.P. Morgan has been a partner in mentorship since 2009, with over 30 employees currently serving as short-term or long-term volunteers. Like Yuliya, a 2014 Fellow Alum and Co-Chair of Philanthropy for J.P. Morgan’s Junior Women in Banking (JWIB). Yuliya regularly connects her JWIB colleagues with our Fellows. Most recently, Yuliya brought 6 of her peers to our “Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace” workshop in New Jersey.

“As an ANY Fellow, I received tremendous career development training, one-on-one mentorship with my mentor, Mike, opportunities to interview with companies that are a part of the network, and support from the amazing ANY community. I volunteer with ANY to give back to the community that did so much for me when I was a Fellow. I hope that sharing my story with the Fellows will inspire them to overcome their personal and academic challenges to ultimately reach their goals.”

Yuliya, Fellow Alum and Saturday Workshop Coach

One of the most powerful tools a mentor can provide is access. Mentor Coach Leo is a first-generation college graduate working at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He recently took several of our Los Angeles Fellows and volunteers on a tour of his workplace, offering a glimpse of space programs currently being worked on.

“I didn’t have anyone to show me what I could have been doing to build my skillset and experience to get a career as a Mechanical Engineer. Knowing what I know now, I would have definitely done college a bit different. One of the main reasons I decided to become a mentor is to help guide and be a resource for those who were in my shoes. I love being able to show students what is possible, inspiring them in becoming the best versions of themselves, and helping them realize they are not alone.”

Leo, Mentor Coach

Since 2014, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has been an emphatic partner in mentorship. Employees have served as Mentor Coaches, Career Coaches, and Advisory Board members with ANY, including California Board Chair, John Wilson.

“At BCG, we work to accelerate change and have a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work. By strengthening our partnerships with organizations such as ANY, it enables us to advance our DEI mission not only within our workplace but in our work and our world.”

John, Advisory Board Chair

We are so grateful for the 17 Accenture volunteers who have served as one-on-one Mentor Coaches, helping first-generation college students graduate college and prepare for their careers. Like Sam, who has taken his leadership to the next level by joining ANY’s Associate Board.

"As a first-generation college graduate who has been incredibly fortunate in my career to date, I was looking for a way to give back and help other young ambitious first-generation students realize their potential. In America Needs You, I found an organization with a shared mission. Getting to know and work with my Fellow has been incredibly rewarding and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to continue supporting his growth and development in the months and years ahead."

Sam, Mentor Coach and Associate Board Member

Citi has provided our Fellows with professional development, internship and employment opportunities, and over 6,000 hours of mentorship over the past decade. Thank you, Citi, for helping our Fellows prepare for and succeed in their careers!

Reach out to volunteers@americaneedsyou.org to find out how your company can get involved!