Community Engagement Programs
Rise Together works to strengthen the communities by partnering with schools, college/ universities, and other educational institutions to provide hybrid (in-person/ remote) team mentoring to complete a community project. Rise Together builds a unique workshop curriculum that facilitates high school students and college mentors through the process of brainstorming, planning and executing a community project. Past Projects include:
Typically, Rise Together accompanies the community project with an on-campus visit at a college/ university partner:
- A Day of Caring where students revisit their elementary school and lead a workshop
- A Service Day where students go into their community and volunteer at local non-profits
- A Freedom of Expression Wall where students and community members come together to express themselves in a public place (in partnership with United Way)
- A Video Time Capsule Project where students capture their experience within the community and then presents it at a public event
Typically, Rise Together accompanies the community project with an on-campus visit at a college/ university partner:
- tours designed specifically to meet the needs of diverse 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
- team building 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. 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, disability status, 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. 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, disability status, 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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In March 2020, Rise Together supported students in co-creating a service-day where mentors and mentees strived to make an immediate impact in their community. The 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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