College Partner Programming
Rise Together places undergraduate mentors at the forefront of programming by threading their authentic student voice throughout all aspects of our work. Under the guidance of Rise Together professional educators, undergraduate mentors co-design curriculum that gives first-generation low-income high school mentees access to college mentorship and guidance. Programming enables undergraduate mentors and 11-12 grade high school mentees to simultaneously develop knowledge and skills that help them reach their academic and career goals.
Mentor RoleUndergraduate mentors provide 25 hours of remote and/or in-person near-peer mentorship per semester (Fall/ Spring/ Summer). Mentors commit 2 hours per week toward supporting programming. Rise Together matches mentors with high school mentees based on their common interests, goals and availability. Mentors work with the same mentee throughout the semester in order to build a strong and trustworthy relationship that promotes mentor and student growth. Rise Together collects pre- and post-session feedback from mentors and mentees to guide structure and curriculum development.
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Leadership Development
Rise Together provides a tiered leadership model where college students can serve as mentors, team leaders, and program coordinators. Undergraduate team leaders are trained to provide orientation sessions and training sessions for their peers, and implement mentoring sessions. Program Coordinators operate at the non-profit level and are exposed to grant writing, national meeting presentations, volunteer recruitment, securing high school student participants and working to meet stakeholder initiatives. Individual roles can be crafted to meet a mentor's interest or career development needs. These opportunities include marketing, business planning, social media coordination, outcome processing and more.
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Team and Individual Mentor GrowthMentors also receive targeted leadership, career readiness and wellness support and training every week. Rise Together professionals equip mentors with all the knowledge and skills necessary to meet program and mentee needs. Before meeting with mentees, mentors attend an orientation session that provides a comprehensive overview of the program and expectations. Throughout the semester, mentors attend weekly 45-minute training sessions with fellow mentors on leadership, career readiness, and social emotional skill development. All mentors are trained to facilitate appropriate and in-depth discussions in small groups on topics such as imposter syndrome, social comparison, and social accountability. College and University Requirements
Rise Together often serves as a field placement site, for-credit sponsor, service learning opportunity, and co-op placement for undergraduate students when approved by the university. Our mentors become campus leaders and have earned thousands of additional undergraduate student scholarships per year from the college they attend. In the past two years, mentors have been award STEM research positions, premier youth and social innovations internships, education grants, premier tour guide positions, and business school scholarships because of the role they play within Rise Together, on campus and in the community.
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Incorporating Student Voice
Rise Together incorporates the students' authentic voice into all aspects of programming by allowing mentors to hold positions of leadership throughout the process.
On-Campus Component
Although remote programming is inclusive, accessible and highly effective, in-person experiences are critical to the growth and development of mentors and mentees. Rise Together works closely with partnering college and universities to invite mentees to campus to work directly with undergraduate mentors. Typically Rise Together and partnering schools coordinate on-campus:
- tours designed specifically to meet the needs of first-generation, low-income students
- dorm experiences, health center, recreation facilities, spaces designed for diverse students, mental health facilities, cafeteria, Dean of Students Office, Admissions Office, Financial Aid Office, STEM labs, art facilities, informal faculty luncheon, etc
- teambuilding exercises that help high school students feel comfortable on a college campus
- sporting events, music and art productions, prominent guest speakers
Community Impact
Rise Together's mission is to MENTOR-INSPIRE-LEAD others by employing the pay-it-forward mentality in all we do.
We have found the key to increasing academic engagement, college enrollment, and college retention in marginalized communities is by bolstering their inherent belonging and worth. To do this, we place undergraduate mentors at the forefront of programming. The mentors are the faces, voices and advocates for innovative youth development programming. Through the Rise Together near-peer mentoring model, mentors boost student engagement, self-awareness, college readiness skills and leadership experiences both themselves and the students they serve. Rise Together is an avenue for Colleges/Universities to give back to their local communities and make higher education accessibility equitable to under-resourced students. Specifically, Rise Together breaks down barriers using remote and in-person programming to ensure that cohorts, regardless of where they live, the color of their skin, family wealth, family responsibilities or cultural background, have access to the role models they need to see themselves thrive.
Additionally, Rise Together provides a forum to connect guest speakers, community leaders and professionals with high school and/or college students who may not otherwise have similar networking exposure. Speakers often include admissions counselors, financial aid experts, STEM faculty, and more.
We have found the key to increasing academic engagement, college enrollment, and college retention in marginalized communities is by bolstering their inherent belonging and worth. To do this, we place undergraduate mentors at the forefront of programming. The mentors are the faces, voices and advocates for innovative youth development programming. Through the Rise Together near-peer mentoring model, mentors boost student engagement, self-awareness, college readiness skills and leadership experiences both themselves and the students they serve. Rise Together is an avenue for Colleges/Universities to give back to their local communities and make higher education accessibility equitable to under-resourced students. Specifically, Rise Together breaks down barriers using remote and in-person programming to ensure that cohorts, regardless of where they live, the color of their skin, family wealth, family responsibilities or cultural background, have access to the role models they need to see themselves thrive.
Additionally, Rise Together provides a forum to connect guest speakers, community leaders and professionals with high school and/or college students who may not otherwise have similar networking exposure. Speakers often include admissions counselors, financial aid experts, STEM faculty, and more.
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Finally, Rise Together supports students in co-creating an optional service-day where mentors and mentees strive to make an immediate impact in their community. Often, students reach back out to their middle/ elementary schools to serve as mentors so they can mentor-inspire-lead diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in their community.
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Admissions Impact
Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our curriculum, partnerships and collaborations. Despite increased efforts, a 2021 UCLA study revealed that only 27% of first-generation college students graduate from college within four years. This is a daunting statistic that has alarming implications for our youth, society and economy.
Rise Together actively partners with admissions counselors and junior fly-in programs to extend the reach of their DEI efforts and create a supportive and enriching community for first-generation college mentors. High school students can be nominated by:
Rise Together does not encourage a high school student to apply to or attend a specific college, but the authentic relationship they form with mentors enhances a student's vision of themselves at the university level. Diverse undergraduate students at predominantly White and highly prestigious institutions can share their unique experiences and life at the college level. They teach students how to find a home and identify comfortable spaces where they can celebrate their heritage and experiences with like-minded classmates. Mentors also prepare mentees how to become campus leaders and embrace the new horizons that lay ahead.
The Rise Together freshman retention rate consistently runs at approximately 85%. Yes, 85%+ of Rise Together alumni remain at the 4 year school they chose during programming. Let us work with your admissions team to boost first-generation, low-income student enrollment and attendance!
Rise Together actively partners with admissions counselors and junior fly-in programs to extend the reach of their DEI efforts and create a supportive and enriching community for first-generation college mentors. High school students can be nominated by:
- Partner colleges/ universities
- High school educators
- A fly-in/ college access program's list of participants
- Or other college/university's initiative
Rise Together does not encourage a high school student to apply to or attend a specific college, but the authentic relationship they form with mentors enhances a student's vision of themselves at the university level. Diverse undergraduate students at predominantly White and highly prestigious institutions can share their unique experiences and life at the college level. They teach students how to find a home and identify comfortable spaces where they can celebrate their heritage and experiences with like-minded classmates. Mentors also prepare mentees how to become campus leaders and embrace the new horizons that lay ahead.
The Rise Together freshman retention rate consistently runs at approximately 85%. Yes, 85%+ of Rise Together alumni remain at the 4 year school they chose during programming. Let us work with your admissions team to boost first-generation, low-income student enrollment and attendance!
