The Mentoring Project started during the 2020-21 COVID pandemic with students needing more support than ever to overcome obstacles to graduation. Research has shown that mentoring or coaching efforts result in positive academic and developmental student outcomes for college students.

The attrition rate is higher in the community colleges and for low-income students who may have difficulty connecting to services and building or finding caring relationships on campus. College procedures and policies are complicated and advisors and faculty are limited in how much time they can provide any individual due to large caseloads.  

The Mentoring Project is unusual in that it supports adults, whereas most community-based mentoring programs focus on youth. In addition, our program is unique in that the mentors and mentees communicate exclusively through electronic methods.

Fall 2025 marks the launch of our fifth mentor/student cohort and we now serve students from almost 30 Washington campuses! We continue to attract an amazing group of community volunteer mentors, many in the STEM Fields. Our mentors are the backbone of our program. Many of them struggled themselves to complete their education and want to give back by being positive role model for young adults.

We have listened to our students who have consistently reported that connecting their education to employment is their number one challenge. For this reason, in addition to matching students with mentors, we now produce career exploration virtual panels and many of our mentors focus on career advising.

With much gratitude to our volunteer mentors, donors and AmeriCorps VISTA for continuing to make it possible for The Mentoring Project to serve students.

Julia Schechter, Ed.D.
Founder, The Mentor Project